Prickly Ash (Carya ovata)

Shagbark Hickory is a long-lived, native hardwood tree valued for both its beauty and its edible nuts. It is found naturally across Southern Ontario and Quebec, and throughout the U.S. portion of the Carolinian Zone, where it plays an important role in healthy forest ecosystems.

The nuts of Carya ovata are sweet, rich, and highly nutritious, and have long been gathered as a traditional native food. Mature trees also provide important habitat for wildlife, while their distinctive, peeling bark adds year-round visual interest to the landscape.

All native hickory species readily cross-pollinate, which means there is an almost endless natural diversity of nut size, flavour, and shell thickness. Seed-grown trees will each be unique, reflecting this rich genetic diversity.

Sowing instructions:
Shagbark Hickory seeds have a double dormancy and require warm–cold stratification to germinate. For best results, plant nuts outdoors in late summer to early fall. Seeds will experience a warm period followed by winter cold, and typically germinate the following summer. This long cycle is normal for the species and part of its natural regeneration strategy.

At least 7 nuts per packet.