Life History and Disturbance Response of Carya glabra (pignut hickory)
Family: Juglandaceae
Guild: persistent, large-seeded, advance growth dependent
Functional Lifeform: medium-size to large deciduous tree
Ecological Role: grows on dry ridgetops and dry-mesic uplands; common in oak-hickory and mixed hardwood forests and provides mast for many wildlife species Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 200/300
Shade Tolerance: intermediate; varies throughout range
Height, m: 15-27
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 30/75/200
Mast Frequency, yrs: 1-2
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, other animals
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: Pignut hickory is broadly distributed and grows on a range of site types. Fires are infrequent on mesic sites and usually occur during prolonged droughts. On drier sites, fires 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 generally increase hickory abundance. A thin-barked species, pignut hickories of all sizes are susceptible to topkilling. Seedlings are particularly sensitive but larger, thicker-barked trees are more resistant. When topkilled, pignut hickory sprouts from the root crown, stump, or root suckers. Hickories are susceptible to rot where the stem has been wounded. 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: Pignut hickories are windfirm.
Air pollution: No symptoms of foliar injury were noted in areas of high ambient ozone.