Carya cordiformis aka Bitternut

Carya cordiformis, commonly known as the bitternut hickory or swamp hickory, is a large deciduous tree that can reach heights of up to 35 meters. It is primarily found in commercial stands located north of other pecan hickories. The bitternut hickory is often harvested and sold alongside true hickories. With a lifespan of around 200 years, it is the shortest-lived of the hickory species. This spreading tree features dark green leaves that can grow up to 30 centimeters long. These leaves emerge from yellow winter buds and are divided into oval or oblong leaflets, typically consisting of seven, but occasionally five or nine leaflets. In the spring, yellow-green flowers appear, followed by rounded or pear-shaped nuts measuring 2-4 centimeters long. While these nuts are edible, they possess a bitter taste. Bitternut hickories thrive in humusy, rich, medium to wet, well-drained soils and perform best in moist conditions. They prefer full sun to partial shade and are generally intolerant of shade. It is characterized by its large size, growing up to 35 meters tall with a trunk diameter of up to 1 meter. The leaves of the bitternut hickory are pinnate, 15-30 centimeters long, with 7-11 lanceolate leaflets. The winter buds are bright sulfur-yellow, providing a distinctive identifying feature. Although closely related to the pecan, the bitternut hickory does not produce edible nuts. It shares a similar leaf shape and is classified in the same section of the genus Carya sect. Apocarya. However, it can be distinguished from the pecan by its smaller number of leaflets, with many leaves having only 7 leaflets (though some may have fewer than 9, or even as many as 11-13 in the pecan). Hybrids with the pecan, known as Carya × brownii, have been identified. Additionally, there is a recognized hybrid with the shagbark hickory, known as Laney's hickory (Carya ×laneyi).