Hickory, Shellbark (Bareroot)

Shellbark hickory produces the largest of all hickory nuts, earning it the nickname "king nut," and provides substantial food value for both people and wildlife. Offered as bareroot stock for late fall and early spring dormant planting, these trees are an economical choice for establishing larger agroforestry or restoration projects. When planted correctly in a well-prepared site, this stock establishes a resilient root system before top growth begins.

Carya laciniosa features distinctive "shaggy" bark and serves as a larval host for the Banded Hairstreak and Hickory Hairstreak butterflies. Our shellbark selection consists of seedlings of grafted cultivars, including Abundance, Henry, Hoffeditz, Keystone, and Stephens, which were originally selected for their superior nut production. While these trees typically have thicker shells than Shagbark hickories, they offer a larger volume of nut meat.

This species is an excellent addition to riparian plantings, capable of tolerating both flooding and drought conditions. It thrives in moist soil with full sun but can adapt to wet bottom lands as well as drier upland sites. Reaching a mature height of 70 feet with a spread of 50 feet, it requires significant space and is hardy in zones 5-8.

Planting bareroot stock allows growers to introduce these productive, long-lived trees directly into their permanent locations with minimal transplant stress. With consistent watering during the first season, these seedlings can establish well across a range of site conditions.

Cultivar Notes

• Abundance: Abundance is a hybrid between Shellbark Hickory and Shagbark Hickory. This cultivar was discovered by Fayette Etter in 1947 in Franklin Co., PA.
• Henry: Discovered by Fayette Etter Franklin Co., PA, Henry is a very large Shellbark nut that is well filled and cracks fairly easily. The nuts are mid to late October-ripening.
• Hoffeditz: Hoffeditz was discovered by Fayette Etter in 1930 in Franklin Co., PA.
• Keystone: Discovered by Fayette Etter in 1955 in Franklin Co., PA along the banks of a creek. Sometime in the late ‘50s or early ‘60s the tree was threatened to be cut down, which prompted Fayette to harvest scion wood so that clones could be made. The following year, the original Keystone tree was destroyed in a flood.
• Stephens: Stephens produces a very large nut, about 2 inches long and almost as wide.