Bitternut Hickory is a fairly common large tree of bottomland forests, distinguished by valvate (bud scales not overlapping) sulphur-yellow buds and usually having 9 leaflets per leaf. The leaves are not particularly fragrant, unlike several similar hickory species.
Flowering, Chatham Co., NC 5/11/03.
Male flowering catkins open in mid-spring.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/09.
Buds are a distinctive rich yellow.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/09.
Some more details of the golden-yellow, naked buds.
Vance Co., NC 5/20/10.
Vance Co., NC 5/20/10.
Vance Co., NC 5/20/10.
Female flowers are bizarre-looking.
Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10.
Female flowers.
Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10.
The sutures of the fruits are narrowly winged.
Durham Co., NC 9/6/08.
Durham Co., NC 9/6/08.
Similar species: the Sand Hickory also has 9 leaflets and yellowish buds, but grows in dry habitats, has silvery leaf undersides, and spicily fragrant leaves; the Water Hickory of the Coastal Plain lacks yellow buds, averages more leaflets (9-11), and has slightly slightly more curved (falcate) leaves.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/1/05.
Bark of a small tree.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/1/05.
Bark of a small stem.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/09.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/09.
Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/09.
Bark of a large tree. The bark is much tighter than on most hickories, lacking significant ridges and not peeling off in strips.
Durham Co., NC 9/6/08.
Bark of a large tree.
Chatham Co., NC 5/11/03.
Durham Co., NC 4/5/2014.