Why Plant Shagbark Hickory?
If you like pecans, you’ll love this Pecan relative, and the birds will, too! Shagbark Hickory is a choice native tree that produces delicious, sweet nuts for you and your feathered friends to enjoy. Blue Jays and woodpeckers will be grateful dinner guests, and with a little help (just break open the tough shells with a hammer), cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, and all sorts of seed-eaters will feast as well. Shagbark Hickory serves as a valuable host plant for many species of insects, which also feed our native songbirds. With this tree, there’s something on the menu for everyone!
Shagbark Hickory has been a part of North American lives since Native Americans lived off of the land. The nuts produced by Shagbark were used as an essential food source for the Natives and even early American settlers. Shagbark nuts are very popular with native wildlife and birds and are an excellent choice for bringing more animals to your yard. Today, Shagbark nuts are sold commercially for many to enjoy. Hickories, in general, are great choices to use for smoking meats for a rich, smoky flavor and burns very well. Since hickory is a hardwood, the wood can be used to manufacture furniture, tool handles, and even ladders!
How to use Shagbark Hickory in the landscape?
Shagbark gets its name from the "shaggy appearance" that its loose-hanging bark gives the overall tree. The ends of each piece of bark peels back and curls, creating the shag-like look this tree is known for. A hardy tree, Shagbark prefers humid conditions but will not hesitate to adapt to a wide array of other landscapes. Enjoy the heat of the summer under the lovely shade of shagbark hickory while the birds sing you a song overhead!
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 4-8
How To Plant Shagbark Hickory
Shagbark enjoys being planted in soil that is humus-rich, loamy, that is well-draining. A large grower, Shagbark needs a lot of room to grow, so do not plant too close to buildings or other trees. This tree is not an excellent candidate to transplant as Shagbark grows a deep taproot that inhibits any movement to another location. Planting more than one Shagbark to cross-pollinate will help produce heavier crops, good for you and good for the birds!
How To Water
Water twice weekly for the first 3-5 weeks; then water weekly for the remainder of the year until winter. When you water, water slowly and thoroughly. Watering needs may be altered due to extreme weather conditions.
How To Fertilize
You should fertilize your Shagbark Hickory with the Bower & Branch Elements Starter Plant Food when planting - this way, it has all it needs to get settled in! After that, you should fertilize each spring and fall.
How To Prune
The best time to prune your Shagbark Hickory is in late winter to early spring, while the tree is still dormant. Pruning will only be needed to maintain the overall shape of the tree and to remove any dead or damaged branches.
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
