photo credit: Ryan Somma
One of the most beautiful trees we have growing in New England, the Shagback Hickory, is undoubtedly a tree that adds both texture and personality to any landscape. They are some of the tallest and stateliest trees of the eastern forests and they also are some of the longest lived, according to Bill Cullina. Hickories are tap rooted, like tulip trees and oaks. They can take a while to settle in and get going and therefore are very slow growing. Hickories are every important for wildlife, especially with the demise of the chestnut. They are more reliable nut producers than an oak and their leaves feed a wide variety of insects.
Shagbark hickory is seldom browsed by deer unless preferred foods are limited or unavailable. The nuts are readily eaten by a wide variety of birds and mammals including black bear, red fox, gray fox, white-footed mouse, eastern chipmunk, and rabbits. Many birds, including the mallard, wood duck, northern bobwhite, and wild turkey, feed on shagbark hickory nuts.
You can read even more about this tree at the native plant girl blog with information about bat habitat and First Nations arboriculture which is fascinating.
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