bitternut hickory
Carya cordiformis
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size50 to 80 feet tall30 to 50 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Green
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) is a tree for woodland gardens, low maintenance landscapes, and pollinator gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet soil of most types. It grows fast and casts an open shade, so turf or ornamentals can thrive underneath. The bright yellow fall color lasts longer than on other hickories. Give it a spot with a clear path for its large taproot, since it is hard to transplant.
Pairs well with Wild ginger, Cinnamon fern, and Ohio buckeye.
Native range
Central and eastern North America.