# bitternut hickory (*Carya cordiformis*) The bitternut hickory is a tall tree with beautiful leaves and tasty nuts. It grows in forests and is loved by many animals who eat its nuts! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![bitternut hickory](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Carya_cordiformis.jpg&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. MPF assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carya_cordiformis.jpg) ## Appearance The bitternut hickory is a tall, slender tree with smooth, gray bark that becomes furrowed with age. Its most distinctive feature is the striking bright yellow, sulfur-colored buds that stand out in winter. It produces small, thin leaves and unique yellow, egg-shaped nuts with four prominent wings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fagales - **Family:** Juglandaceae - **Genus:** Carya ## Interesting facts - Bitternut hickory nuts are so bitter, even most squirrels only eat them when truly starving! - Despite the bitter nuts, its strong wood is perfect for making things like tool handles and furniture! - Its bright yellow buds look like tiny pieces of sunshine, glowing even in snowy winter! - Native Americans once used the tree's bark to make a yellow dye for baskets and cloth! ## Special abilities - **Bitter Guardian:** Bitternut hickory has extremely bitter nuts that discourage most animals from eating them, helping its seeds survive. - **Sulfur Signal:** Its striking yellow buds glow in winter, allowing easy identification even when its leaves have fallen. - **Wet Feet Warrior:** This tree can grow in damp soils and even floodplains, thriving where other trees might struggle to survive. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1500-3500 cm - **Spread:** 1000-1500 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — eats its bitter nuts, often burying them for later. - **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on young twigs and leaves during winter. - **Eats:** Fall webworm (*Hyphantria cunea*) — larvae consume its leaves, creating visible silken webs. - **Shelter:** [Pileated Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pileated-woodpecker) (*Dryocopus pileatus*) — often excavates nesting cavities in its large trunks. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Nut Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nut-bearing): Nut bearing plants produce hard-shelled fruits, commonly known as nuts, which contain a single seed and are a valuable food source. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful not to climb too high in trees. Always ask an adult for help! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify bitternut hickory? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is bitternut hickory? 1500-3500 cm ### How wide does bitternut hickory spread? 1000-1500 cm ### When does bitternut hickory bloom? Spring ### Is bitternut hickory edible? No ### Is bitternut hickory toxic? None ### What is bitternut hickory's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is bitternut hickory pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Centennial Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/centennial-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Glen Echo Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glen-echo-park) — Maryland, US · National Park - [University City](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/university-city) — Pennsylvania, US · Campus - [Lake Hudson State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-hudson-state-recreation-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Stafford Village Four Corners Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stafford-village-four-corners-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Roscoe Conkling Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/roscoe-conkling-park) — New York, US · Park [View all places to see bitternut hickory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bitternut-hickory) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Bitternut Hickory: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bitternut-hickory)