JUGLANDACEAE - - Walnut Family

Carya aquatica (Michaux f.) Elliott — Water Hickory

Water Hickory (Carya aquatica) is a medium to tall tree with a narrowly rounded crown. Bark thick, light brown, sometimes tinged with red, splitting freely into long, loose, plate-like shaggy scales. The leaves have 7 to 13 curved leaflets, similar to pecan, only narrower and covered with yellow glandular dots. The twigs are slender with small (.1 to .2 in.), flattened, valvate end buds, covered with yellow scales. The fruit is conspicuously flattened (cross section), the husks are 4-winged from base to apex and covered with bright yellow scales.

Habitat:

It inhabits wet, poorly drained flats, river bottoms, and swamps, but grows best on well-drained alluvial soils.

The native range of Carya aquatica (Water Hickory)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].

The Georgia range of Carya aquatica (Water Hickory)

Zomlefer, W.B., J.R. Carter, & D.E. Giannasi. 2014 (and ongoing). The Atlas of Georgia Plants. University of Georgia Herbarium (Athens, Georgia) and Valdosta State University Herbarium (Valdosta, Georgia). Available at: http://www.georgiaherbaria.org/.