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Home , Aesculus pavia, Carpinus caroliniana, Carya myristiciformis, Oncideres cingulata

Carya myristiciformis (Michx. f.) Nutt. Nutmeg Walnut family

L. C. Maisenhelder and John K. Francis

Nutmeg hickory (), also Habitat called swamp hickory or bitter water hickory, is found as small, possibly relict populations across the Native Range South and in northern Mexico on rich moist soils of higher bottom lands and stream banks. Little is Nutmeg hickory (figs. 1, 2) is scattered in a few known of the growth rate of nutmeg hickory. Logs areas in eastern , central and lumber are sold mixed with other . The and , northern , southern nuts are an oil-rich food for wildlife. , eastern , and northern Mexico. The

Figure l-The native range of nutmeg hickory.

The authors are Silviculturist (deceased) and Soil Scientist, Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans, LA. (Re- search on this species was done in cooperation with the Univer- sity of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.)

215 Curya myristiciformis

Soils and Topography

Nutmeg hickory grows on a variety of loamy, silty, or clayey soils that may be described as moist, but well or moderately well drained and amply supplied with mineral nutrients. The species most often is found in minor stream bottoms, on second bottom flats, and on slopes or bluffs near streams. The prin- cipal soils on which nutmeg hickory is generally found are in the orders Alfisols and Inceptisols.

Associated Forest Cover

Nutmeg hickory is not an important species in any forest cover type and is only a minor associate in Swamp Chestnut -Cherrybark Oak (Society of American Foresters Type 91) (3). Other prominent associates in this type include white ash (Fruxinus americana); shagbark, shellbark, mockernut, and bit- ter-nut hickories (Curya ovata, C. Zuciniosu, C. tomen- tosa, C. cordiformis); Shumard oak (Quercus shumar- dii); and blackgum (Nyssa syluaticu). Less important associates are willow, water, and Durand (Q. phellos, Q. n&-a, and Q. durandii); American and winged (, U alata); yellow- poplar (); and American beech (). Some common small and occurring with nutmeg hickory are eastern hophornbeam ( virginiana), American (), flowering dogwood (Cornus fZorida), and oakleaf hydrangea (). One survey near Charleston, SC, found Figure 2-Nutmeg hickory open grown in Desha County, AR. red buckeye ( pavia), eastern redbud (), and witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) species is abundant only near Selma, AL, and in associated with nutmeg hickory (5). southern Arkansas. Nutmeg hickory has a native range nearly identical with that of Durand oak (Q. durandii var. durandii). Both may be relics of a more Life History ancient flora than now occupies the region (5). Reproduction and Early Growth Climate Flowering and Fruiting-The species is monoe- cious and forms imperfect flowers. Both male and Precipitation within the range of nutmeg hickory female flowers are found on the current year’s varies from 1020 to 1400 mm (40 to 55 in) per year, growth. The male flowers are long-stalked , 510 mm (20 in) or more falling during the growing developing at the shoot base (7). The female flowers season. The frost-free period of most of the native are in short spikes on peduncles at the end of the range is about 240 days. Summers are warm and dry shoot. Flowering occurs from April to May, shortly in the western portion of the range, but warm and after the leaves have started to open. Specifics of wet in the South Carolina disjuncts. July tempera- pollen production, dissemination and pollination are tures average about 27” C (SO’ F). January tempera- not known. The sweet, edible nut matures from Sep- tures average between 7” and 10” C (45” and 50” F). tember to October of the same year and falls between Extremes of temperature are -23” to 43” C C-10’ to September and December. Its ellipsoidal shell is 110” F). thick and hard.

216 Carya myristiciformis

Seed Production and Dissemination-Seed Reaction to Competition-Nutmeg hickory is production starts when the trees are about 30 years classed as intolerant of shade. It is intolerant as a old, and optimum seed-bearing age is 50 to 125 years mature , but tolerant in the seedling and sapling (5). Good seed crops are produced every 2 to 3 years. stage during which it may survive for a long time in As many as 70 liters (2 bu) can be produced by an the understory and then respond to release (5). Any open-grown tree. Seeds are disseminated by various partial cutting system that removes larger, faster- methods, including squirrels and water. growing competition encourages nutmeg hickory.

Seedling Development-The seeds of this Damaging Agents-Fire damages hickory of all species germinate from late April to early June. Ger- ages. A light burn kills the tops of seedlings and mination is hypogeal. Burial of seeds by squirrels saplings; a more intense fire wounds larger trees and seems to be important, but it is not necessary for the provides entry for butt-rotting fungi. successful establishment of seedlings. Several attack hickory but rarely become epidemic (1). The forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma Vegetative Reproduction-Specific information disstria), walnut caterpillar (Datana integerima), and on the vegetative reproduction of nutmeg hickory is not available. Like other hickories, it probably walkingstick (Diapheromera femorata) may defoliate sprouts readily from small stumps, injured or top- individual trees or limbs. Sucking insects, including killed seedlings and saplings, and from roots (2). (Monellia spp.), feed on the underside of Large stumps do not readily sprout, hence the larger leaves, causing them to curl and drop prematurely. the stump, the more likely that it will reproduce only The twig girdler ( cingulata) may seriously by root suckers. prune seedlings and even large trees by girdling the terminal and branches. The hickory bark () can be troublesome during Sapling and Pole Stages to Maturity dry years and periods of stress. The ambrosia beetle (Platypus spp. and Xyleborus spp.) and powderpost (Lyctus spp. and Growth and Yield-Nutmeg hickory is a Xylobiops basilaris) often cause economic damage to medium-sized tree with a tall, straight trunk and stout, slightly spreading branches that form a nar- logs and lumber during storage and air-drying. row and rather open crown. It can attain heights of No important diseases of hickory other than a 24 to 30 m (80 to 100 ft) and a diameter of 61 cm (24 number of rots have been reported. Bird peck in). defect, caused by the yellow-bellied sapsucker, is Although the hickories (which include nut- common and serious in nutmeg hickory. meg hickory) grow more rapidly than the true hick- ories (6), specific information on the growth rate of nutmeg hickory is lacking. The pecan hickories, in Special Uses turn, grow more slowly than most other bottom-land hardwoods. The average lo-year diameter increase The nuts of nutmeg hickory are relished by squir- for hickories in natural, unmanaged stands in the rels, which begin cutting them while they are still northeast Louisiana delta was 4.3 cm (1.7 in) in the green (4). Other rodents and wildlife also eat the 15 to 30-cm (6- to 12-in) diameter class; 3.3 cm (1.3 nuts. The species is too rare over most of its range in) in the 33- to 48cm (13- to 19-m) diameter class; to be of major economic importance. The wood of this and 3.8 cm (1.5 in> in the 51- to 71-cm (20- to 28-m) diameter class (5). pecan hickory is slightly inferior in strength and toughness to that of the true or upland hickories, but Pure stands of nutmeg hickory probably do not exist, and no volume figures are available. Logs and owing to the small volumes involved and difficulty of distinguishing it from the true hickories, nutmeg lumber from merchantable nutmeg hickory are sold mixed with other hickories. hickory is not separated from them during logging.

Rooting HabitNutmeg hickory has a strongly developed taproot, especially on well-drained soil. Genetics Seedlings of hickory quickly develop a heavy taproot and fine lateral roots. During the pole stage, a No racial varieties or hybrids have been reported robust, spreading lateral root system is developed. for nutmeg hickory.

217 Carya myristiciformis

Literature Cited 5. Maisenhelder, Louis C. 1965. Nutmeg hickory (Curya myristicczeformis (Michx. f.) Nutt.). Zn Silvics of forest trees of 1. Baker, Whiteford L. 1972. Eastern forest insects. U.S. the . p. 119-120. H. A. Fowells, camp. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Miscellaneous Publication 1175. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook 271. Washington, DC. 642 p. Washington,DC. 2. Boisen, Anton T., and J. A. Newlin. 1910. The commercial 6. Nelson, Thomas C. 1965. Silvical characteristics of the hickories. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin 80. commercial hickories. USDA Forest Service, Hickory Task Washington, DC. 64 p. Force Report 10. Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, 3. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States Asheville, NC. 16 p. and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 7. Sargent, Charles Sprague. 1965. Manual of the trees of North 148 p. America. vol. 1. Dover, New York. Reprint of 1926 revision, 4. Halls, Lowell K. 1977. Southern fruit-producing woody Houghton Mifflin, New York.) 934 p. used by wildlife. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report SO-16. Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans, LA. 235 p.

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