 The shagbark
hickory grows in southern Ontario and Quebec, as well as in
the central United States. This majestic tree grows 30 metres
high and can live about 200 years.
Its oval leaf consists of 5 to 7 very pointed leaflets.
Its globular fruit has a thick husk. The kernel or meat
of the nut is edible, and is coveted by squirrels and chipmunks,
the gourmands of the forest. These rodents stockpile large
quantities of nuts under dead leaves in the fall, which
promotes reproduction of the species.
The bark on the shagbark hickory is gray and
readily separates into long plates, providing butterflies
with an ideal site for wintering over.
The shagbark hickory grows best on moist fertile sites
and is generally found mixed with other broadleaf trees.
On very moist, fertile soils in the Mississippi valley,
the shagbark hickory can grow to 50 metres in height and
live up to 300 years. The Shagbark has both male and female
flowers. Male flowers grow in bundles called catkins and
female flowers are in clusters called petallets
Its wood is used in carpentry and to make carts and wheelbarrows.
It is also used to manufacture skis, an essential piece
of equipment for a very popular sport these days.
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