Shellbark Hickory is very rare in North Carolina, with only a few known stands. One stand, of several hundred trees, is in Durham County, along New Hope Creek south of 15-501.

The leaves are distictively large (over a foot long), normally with 7-9 leaflets. The nuts are very large, as you might guess from another of its common names: Kingnut.

The bark on medium to large trees is very shaggy, much like that of a Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) or Carolina Shagbark Hickory (Carya carolinae-septentrionalis). Leaves of Shagbark Hickory normally have 5 leaflets; those of Carolina Shagbark have 5 or 7, but the tree grows in upland habitats.

The bark at the base of large trees (as well as on young trees) is not at all shaggy. This tree (same one as in the photo above) is one of the state co-champions, with a 3-foot diameter.

Same tree as above, with a large Virginia Creeper vine scrambling up to the canopy.

Durham Co., NC 3/1/08.