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The Forest Service National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources (RNGR) is a leading source of technical information for nurseries and land managers regarding production and planting of trees and other native plants for reforestation, restoration, and conservation.

 
NPN Protocol Details Image

Carya (laciniosa)

Gregory Hoss
Nursery Manager
George O. White State Forest Nursery
PO Box 119
Licking, Missouri 65542-0119
573-674-3229
GIF-native-plants@prodigy.net

Family Scientific Name: Juglandaceae
Family Common Name: Walnut family
Scientific Name: Carya laciniosa (Michx. f.) G. Don
Common Synonym: Hicoria laciniosa (Michx. f.) Sarg.
Common Name: Shellbark hickory
Species Code: CARLAC
Ecotype: South Central Missouri
General Distribution: Shellbark hickory is found from the upper northeastern and Midwestern States south to Georgia and west to Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: seed
ProductType: Bareroot (field grown)
Stock Type: 2+0
Time To Grow: 2 Years
Target Specifications: Height: 8 in<br> Caliper:0.25<br> Root System: Root system must balance top growth.
Propagule Collection: Seeds are purchased from local people who collect within a 50 mile radius of the nursery.Seeds are wild collected during fall months and are kept separated according to site, elevation and source.
Propagule Processing: Nuts are de-hulled after collection. Nuts are floated in water immediately after collection. This keeps the nuts hydrated and facilitates the removal of non-viable nuts which will float, trash and other debris. If nuts are collected from the ground when the ground is very dry, good nuts may also float and the seed collection should soak in water overnight to allow enough time for good nuts to hydrate and sink. We use a Jesse aspirator which uses suction, gravity and vibration to separate viable from non-viable seeds.
Nuts are not stored and are planted following cleaning.
Pre-Planting Treatments: Nuts are sown in late October and early November using a spreader into prepared field beds.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:
Soils: Our field soils are silty clay loams.
The spring before planting, we amend the soils with 700 lbs/acre of 1N:3 P205:5K20, grow a soybean cover crop, and fumigate in the fall. We use Roundup Ready soybeans so we can control weeds by using glycosate herbicide without harming the cover crop. During early August, wedisk under the cover crop and disk the soils several times during the next 6 weeks to obtain a smooth soil surface. Soils are fumigated in late September.
Field Bed Preparation: We mark out and form beds as needed. Beds are prepared with a rototiller/seedbed former and are typically 4 to 6 inches high and 4 ft wide. Fields are cultivated for weeds as needed throughout the growing season.
Irrigation: We use overhead irrigation with two inch pvc pipe that can be moved from field to field each year. Our principle water source is from 3 on-site wells and is very good quality water.
Establishment Phase: We sow nuts at least 3 to 4 inches deep to protect them from deer, rodents and birds. Seeds are covered and irrigated when soils appear to be drying out on warm days. We apply old sawdust and hydromulch after sowing.
Shellbark hickory is a slow growing species. Seedlings are usually 4 inches tall at the end of the first gorwing season.
Length of Establishment Phase: 1 year
Active Growth Phase: Year 1: Fertilization: We apply ammonium sulfate 21-0-0-24 with a mechanical spreader. We put on the first application the last week of May and to only those 1+0 seedlings that have been germinated for at least 5 or 6 weeks. We put down our last application during the last week of July. We apply fertilizer at the rate of 125 lbs/acre. Frequency of application depends on the species and how they look that season. We irrigate for at least 45 minutes following all fertilizer applications. This insures that foliage will not burn and incorporates fertilizer into the root zone.

Year 2: 2+0 nursery stock is fertilized the second year as described above and only as needed. It is applied about every 8 to 10 days, and not on all species. All depends on the species and how they look during the second growing season.

ROOT PRUNING PROCEDURES:
Pruning depth is at least 10 inches for 2+ 0 stock.
Irrigate heavily for 2 to 3 days prior to pruning to saturate the root zone. Set pruning blade to slightly wrench seedlings as they are pruned. Check pruning depth frequently and adjust as needed. Irrigate for a minimum of 2 hours following root pruning to settle soil back around roots. This step is critical to eliminate post root pruning mortality. Irrigate field heavily for 2 to 3 days to further settle the soil.
TOP PRUNING PROCEDURES: Shellbark hickory does not require top-pruning.
Length of Active Growth Phase: 4-5 months year 1 and year 2
Hardening Phase: Hardening begins during August. No fertilizer is applied after August. Irrigation frequency and duration is shortened and applied only when needed.
Length of Hardening Phase: 2-3 months year 1 and year 2
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: Lifting window is from late November to April, depending on species. We try to obtain a large a root mass as possible. We try to lift when the majority of leaves have dropped. Seedlings are hand lifted after the seedling beds have been undercut at an average depth of 10 or 12 inches using a lifter. Lifted nursery stock is immediately stored in cooler until graded and bundled. The majority of species are graded, bundled and shipped during February.
Length of Storage: 2-3 months

Citation:

Hoss, Gregory. 2005. Propagation protocol for production of Bareroot (field grown) Carya laciniosa (Michx. f.) G. Don plants 2+0; George O. White State Forest Nursery Licking, Missouri. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/01). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.