Life History & Disturbance Response of Carya sp. hickory

Family: Juglandaceae
Guild: persistent, large-seeded, advance growth dependent
Functional Lifeform: large deciduous tree
Ecological Role: grows on dry ridges and fertile uplands; occurs in oak-hickory and beech-maple forests and is found in pine-hardwood mixtures; withstands suppression and responds well when released; provides mast for many wildlife species
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 200/300
Shade Tolerance: intermediate
Height, m: 18-30
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 25/40/200
Mast Frequency, yrs: 2-3
New Cohorts Source: seeds or sprouts
Flowering Dates: late spring
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: yes
Seedfall Begins: early fall
Seed Banking: up to 1 yr
Cold Stratification Required: yes
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: nut/ to 50 m/ gravity, birds, other animals
Season of Germination: spring
Seedling Rooting System: taproot
Sprouting: stump sprouts common
Establishment Seedbed Preferences
Substrate: variable, moist duff
Light: overstory shade Moisture: moist required Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire: Mockernut hickory is broadly distributed over a range of site types, but it grows best on fertile uplands. Fires on mesic sites usually occur during prolonged droughts. On drier sites, fires usually occur in the dormant season and tend to be low to moderate intensity surface fires. When fires occur at short intervals Quercus species have a competitive advantage over Carya. Longer-interval fires may promote hickory abundance. A thin-barked species, mockernut hickories are susceptible to topkilling. Seedlings and saplings under 10 cm d.b.h. are particularly sensitive but larger, thicker-barked trees are more resistant. When topkilled, mockernut hickory sprouts from the root crown, stump, or root suckers. Hickories are susceptible to rot where the stem has been wounded. Seedling establishment may occur from surviving trees onsite or from offsite seeds carried by wind, water, birds, and other animals. Released hickory trees may develop a large crown and abundant nut crops, an important food source for wildlife.
Weather: Mockernut hickories are windfirm. Seedlings are very susceptible to frost damage.