Water Hickory
Carya aquatica
Water hickory is a tall bottomland hickory of Southern swamps and river floodplains, tolerant of prolonged flooding. Its bitter nuts feed wood ducks and mammals where few other hickories grow.
- Family
- Juglandaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 85–85 ft
- Spacing
- 30–50 ft apart
- Light
- part shade
- Soil moisture
- wet, moist
- Soil pH
- acidic, neutral
- Bloom
- April
- Bloom colors
- yellow
- Wildlife value
- butterflies, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~235 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- specimen, rain garden
- Native states
- AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MO, MS, NC, SC, TX
Related native plants
More Carya species
- Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)
- Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
- Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis)
- Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra)
- Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa)
- Black Hickory (Carya texana)