Carya myristiciformis: Country Or Region Of Origin
Oklahoma to Alabama and NE. Mexico
Plant Profile: Carya myristiciformis
Taxonomy: Carya myristiciformisNames
Nutmeg Hickory
Phonetic Spelling:KAIR-yuh MUH-riss-tick-aa-for-miss
Genus:Carya
Species:myristiciformis
Family:Juglandaceae
The bark of this plant is scaly and has a reddish-brown hue.
It thrives in rich, moist soil conditions.
Flowers consist of a 1.5-inch nut and feature native whitish bark.
It requires sunlight and can adapt to various soil types, demonstrating drought resistance.
Carya myristiciformis Feature Summary
Carya myristiciformis Image Gallery
Tags
#deciduous
#drought tolerant
#wildlife plant
#native tree
#moths
#edible nuts
#small mammals
#NC native
#nighttime garden
#Braham Arboretum
#larval host plant
#moth larvae
#pollinator garden
#hickory horndevil moth
Similar Plants
Carya myristiciformis Feature Summary
Attributes
Oklahoma to Alabama and NE. Mexico
Found in NC, SC, GA, AL, MS, LA, AR, OK, and TX
Squirrels and rodents eat nuts. Larval host plant to Luna moth. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed.
Woody
Edible fruit
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
Elliptical 1-1.2 inch long nut with a thin husk splitting along four ridges
Edible
1-3 inches
Leaves
7-14 in. alternate, pinnately compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets; silvery underneath; yellow fall color
Deciduous
Green
Gray/Silver
Gold/Yellow
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Alternate
Lanceolate
> 6 inches
Bark
Dark brown with fissures turning into long thin scales with age.
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Scaly
Fissured
Whole Plant Traits
Tree
Native Plant
Deciduous
Rounded
Erect
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Moist
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Stem
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Nighttime Garden
Shade Tree
Pollinators
Moths
Small Mammals
Carya myristiciformis Image Gallery
Carya myristiciformis Attributes
Carya myristiciformis: Distribution
Found in NC, SC, GA, AL, MS, LA, AR, OK, and TX
Carya myristiciformis: Wildlife Value
Squirrels and rodents eat nuts. Larval host plant to Luna moth. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed.
Carya myristiciformis: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Drought
Carya myristiciformis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Carya myristiciformis: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Carya myristiciformis Fruit
Carya myristiciformis: Fruit Description
Elliptical 1-1.2 inch long nut with a thin husk splitting along four ridges
Carya myristiciformis: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Carya myristiciformis: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Carya myristiciformis Leaves
Carya myristiciformis: Leaf Description
7-14 in. alternate, pinnately compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets; silvery underneath; yellow fall color
Carya myristiciformis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Carya myristiciformis: Leaf Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Carya myristiciformis: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Carya myristiciformis: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Carya myristiciformis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Carya myristiciformis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Carya myristiciformis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Carya myristiciformis: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Carya myristiciformis Bark
Carya myristiciformis: Bark Description
Dark brown with fissures turning into long thin scales with age.
Carya myristiciformis: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Carya myristiciformis: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Carya myristiciformis Whole Plant Traits
Carya myristiciformis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Carya myristiciformis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Carya myristiciformis: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Carya myristiciformis: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Carya myristiciformis Cultural Conditions
Carya myristiciformis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Carya myristiciformis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Carya myristiciformis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Carya myristiciformis: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Carya myristiciformis Stem
Carya myristiciformis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Carya myristiciformis Landscape
Carya myristiciformis: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Carya myristiciformis: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Carya myristiciformis: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
