Life History and Disturbance Response of Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)
Family: Juglandaceae
Guild: persistent, large-seeded, advance growth dependent
Functional Lifeform: medium-size to large deciduous tree
Ecological Role: grows on a wide range of sites from dry, gravelly uplands to moist flats; common associates include upland oaks, sugar maple, basswood, and many bottomland hardwoods; also found as an understory component in southern pine forests
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 175/200
Shade Tolerance: intermediate
Height, m: 15-30
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 30/50/175
Mast Frequency, yrs: 3-5
New Cohorts Source: seeds or sprouts
Flowering Dates: late spring
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: yes
Seedfall Begins: early fall
Seed Banking: up to 1 yr
Cold Stratification Required: yes
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: nut/ to 50 m/ gravity, water
Season of Germination: spring
Seedling Rooting System: taproot
Sprouting: stump sprouts and root suckers common
Establishment Seedbed Preferences:
Substrate: variable, litter covered
Light: overstory shade
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire: Bitternut hickory is broadly distributed and grows on a range of site types, but best on more mesic sites. Fires are probably unusual in bottomlands and usually occur only during prolonged droughts. Fires in the upland forests tend to be low- to moderate-intensity surface fires, occurring in the dormant season. When fires occur at short intervals, Quercus species have a competitive advantage over Carya. Longer-interval fires may promote hickory abundance. A thin-barked species, bitternut hickories of all sizes are susceptible to topkilling. When topkilled, bitternut hickory sprouts from the root crown, stump, or root suckers. Seedling establishment may occur from surviving trees onsite or from offsite seeds carried by wind, water, birds, and other animals. Released hickory trees may develop a large crown and abundant nut crops, an important food source for wildlife.
Weather: Bitternut hickory is windfirm.