Carya ovata is a tall shade tree with straight trunk, shaggy bark (tendency of the bark to peel off in long strips), and striking golden yellow autumn color that unfortunately lasts for only a few days.
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F E A T U R E S |
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Form
-large deciduous tree, 60-80' tall x 25-35' wide
-upright, straight trunk, oblong crown
-oval outline with the lower branches somewhat drooping, the upper branches upright, and the middle branches just about horizontal
-slow to medium growth rate (12-18" per year), long-lived |
Foliage
-alternate, compound, oddly pinnate, commonly 5 leaflets, 8-14" long
-serrated margin
-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate leaflets
-deep yellow green in summer, golden-yellow/brown in autumn; autumn color can be spectacular, if brief |
Flowers
-catkins up to 6" long
-spring |
Fruit
-oval/round, 1-2"
-dry, hard; edible but must be cleaned
-very showy |
Twig
-gray-brown, stout, many lenticels |
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Trunk
-very distinctive and showy as the tree matures
-shaggy, resulting from long plates which are detached from trunk at both ends but remain attached in the middle |
C U L T
U R E
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Culture
-full sun to partial shade
-prefers moist, well-drained (light) soils but will tolerate many soil types
-coarse root system makes it somewhat difficult to transplant
-rare availability |
Hardiness
-zones 4 to 8
Origin
-native to Eastern U.S.
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U S A G E |
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Assets
-striking autumn color
-interesting bark
Liabilities
-fruit can cause significant litter
-fallen leaves can be messy because of their large size |
Function
-shade tree, specimen, highway plantings; the tree is most likely used in a naturalistic setting; it can be found in older neighborhoods
Texture
-medium in foliage and coarse when bare |
S E L
E C T I 0 N S |
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Varieties
and Cultivars
- Search
OSU PlantFacts for additional plants in this species
Alternates
-other large shade trees (Acer saccharinum, A. saccharum, Aesculus flava, Celtis occidentalis, etc.) |