Appalachian Tree Species

Shagbark Hickory

Carya ovataHardwood

Shagbark Hickory is a Kentucky hardwood known for long, peeling bark plates and husked nuts. It is one of several species sold within the broader commercial hickory resource.

Species and Commercial Names

This page describes Carya ovata. KY Wood Products uses “Hickory” as a commercial group, which can include other hickory species. A Hickory log inquiry therefore does not identify Shagbark Hickory unless the buyer specifies that botanical requirement.

Tree & Region

Where It Grows

Shagbark Hickory is native across much of eastern and central North America, including Kentucky. Its broad range reaches southern Canada, but it is largely absent from the southeastern coastal plains.

It occupies a range of sites. In the Ohio Valley and Cumberland region, fertile uplands, coves and north- or east-facing slopes provide characteristic settings.

Identifying the Tree

A mature tree can have a straight, slender trunk and a relatively narrow crown. The shaggy trunk is often its most noticeable feature.

Foliage

Leaves alternate along the twig. Each is compound, usually with five leaflets, sometimes seven; the leaflet at the end is generally the largest. The edges are finely toothed.

Bark

On older trees, long plates loosen and curl away from the trunk. Young trees have not yet developed the same dramatic shaggy surface.

Fruit, Seeds & Cones

The fruit encloses a pale nut inside a green husk. As it matures, the husk darkens and splits into four sections.

The Wood

Appearance and Grain

True-hickory wood has pale sapwood and darker, reddish-brown heartwood. The contrast can be pronounced in sawn material. These are group characteristics, not proof of the exact species in a board.

The true hickories are described as straight-grained with coarse, uneven texture. Growth rings are readily visible on the end grain.

Practical Characteristics

Hickory’s toughness and resistance to impact explain its use in demanding handles and sporting goods. The wood can shrink considerably as it dries, so drying and moisture control deserve care.

Common Uses

Selected hickory is used for tool handles, sporting equipment and furniture. Material quality matters: the species name alone does not make a piece suitable for an impact-loaded handle.

KY Wood Products