Pignut Hickory
Carya glabra
Found in a very wide variety of forests and woodlands. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition What its natural habitat tells you
Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 60–80 feet
- Spread
- 25–40 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- April to May
- Fruiting season
- October
Recorded in 53 Florida counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 151 animals.
- Acadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescens
- American WoodcockScolopax minor
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- Eurasian Collared-doveStreptopelia decaocto
- Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
- Rusty BlackbirdEuphagus carolinus
- Summer TanagerPiranga rubra
- White-winged DoveZenaida asiatica
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Yellow-throated WarblerDendroica dominica
- Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticorax
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe
- Great EgretArdea alba
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimus
- Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Marsh WrenCistothorus palustris
- Northern BobwhiteColinus virginianus
Who uses this plant?
206CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL
Genus host records with ranges including FL · Carya
- Actias lunaLuna Moth
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Citheronia regalisRegal Moth
- Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak
- Abagrotis alternataGreater Red Dart, Mottled Grey Cutworm
- Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acrobasis caryaePecan Shoot-Borer Moth, Hickory Shoot Borer Moth
- Acrobasis caryivorellaPecan Nursery Casemaker, Hickory Shoot Moth
- Acrobasis demotellaWalnut Shoot Moth
Show all 206
- Acrobasis exsulellaCordovan Pyralid, Cordovan Acrobasis
- Acrobasis juglandisPecan Leaf Casebearer
- Acrobasis nuxvorellaPecan Nut Casebearer
- Acrobasis stigmellaHickory Bud-and-Shoot Borer
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
- Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
- Allotria elonymphaFalse Underwing
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Amorpha juglandisWalnut Sphinx
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Anania tertialisCrowned Anania, Crowned Phlyctaenia
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Anisota stigmaSpiny Oakworm Moth, Stigma Moth
- Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
- Apoda biguttataShagreened Slug Moth
- Apoda y-inversumYellow-Collared Slug Moth
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips georgianaFireworm, Georgia Leafroller
- Archips griseaGray Archips
- Archips infumatanaSmoked Leafroller Moth
- Archips rileyanaSouthern Ugly-Nest Caterpillar Moth
- Argyrotaenia juglandanaHickory Leafroller
- Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Baileya dormitansSleeping Baileya
- Baileya levitansPale Baileya
- Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
- Blastobasis glandulellaAcorn Moth
- Bleptina caradrinalisBent-Winged Owlet, Variable Snout
- Callima argenticinctellaOrange-Headed Epicallima
- Callosamia anguliferaTulip-Tree Silkmoth
- Cameraria caryaefoliellaPecan Leafminer Moth, Hickory Blotchminer
- Catocala agrippinaAgrippina Underwing
- Catocala atocalaBrou's Underwing, Atocala Underwing
- Catocala consorsThe Consort
- Catocala dejectaDejected Underwing
- Catocala epioneEpione Underwing
- Catocala insolabilisInconsolable Underwing
- Catocala lacrymosaTearful Underwing
- Catocala maestosaSad Underwing
- Catocala nebulosaClouded Underwing
- Catocala neogamaThe Bride
- Catocala piatrixThe Penitent, Penitent Underwing
- Catocala sapphoSappho Underwing
- Catocala similisSimilar Underwing
- Catocala ulalumeUlalume Underwing
- Catocala viduaWidow Underwing
- Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
- Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
- Chaetaglaea sericeaSilky Sallow
- Charadra deridensThe Laugher
- Chionodes fuscomaculellaWhite-Spotted Chionodes
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Cissusa spadixBlack-Dotted Brown
- Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
- Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
- Coleophora laticornellaPecan Cigar Casebearer
- Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
- Cossula magnificaPecan Carpenterworm Moth
- Cryptothelea gloveriiOrange Bagworm
- Cydia caryanaHickory Shuckworm, Pecan Shuckworm
- Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
- Dasychira leucophaeaPeppered Tussock Moth
- Dasychira meridionalisSouthern Tussock Moth
- Dasychira tephraTephra Tussock Moth
- Dasylophia thyatiroidesGray-Patched Prominent
- Datana angusiiAngus's Datana
- Datana integerrimaWalnut Caterpillar Moth
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Dichomeris georgiellaGeorgia Dichomeris
- Dichomeris inversellaInversed Dichomeris
- Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
- Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
- Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
- Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
- Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Euchlaena amoenariaDeep Yellow Euchlaena
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eulogia ochrifrontellaBroad-Banded Eulogia
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
- Gesta juvenalisJuvenal's Duskywing
- Gretchena bollianaPecan Bud Moth
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hypagyrtis estherEsther Moth
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hypena baltimoralisBaltimore Bomolocha, Baltimore Snout
- Hyperstrotia nana[White-Lined Graylet applied to Hyperstrotia villificans]
- Hyperstrotia sectaBlack-Patched Graylet
- Hyperstrotia villificansWhite-Lined Graylet
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Immyrla nigrovittellaBlack-Banded Immyrla
- Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
- Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
- Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
- Isa textulaCrowned Slug
- Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
- Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
- Lambdina pellucidariaYellow-Headed Looper, Eastern Pine Looper
- Larisa subsolanaDark-Based Larisa
- Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane patefactaDiomorphic Pinion, Branded Pinion
- Lochmaeus bilineataDouble-Lined Prominent
- Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
- Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
- Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
- Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
- Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
- Monoleuca semifasciaPin-Striped Vermilion Slug
- Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
- Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
- Morrisonia mucensGray Woodgrain
- Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
- Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria lixariaRed-Bordered Emerald
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
- Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
- Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
- Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
- Panopoda carneicostaBrown Panopoda, Hickory Panopoda
- Panopoda rufimargoRed-Lined Panopoda
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Parallelia bistriarisMaple Looper Moth
- Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
- Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
- Peridea angulosaAngulose Prominent
- Perimede erransellaGray Perimede
- Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
- Phigalia denticulataToothed Phigalia
- Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
- Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
- Philonome clemensellaClemens' Philonome
- Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Phyllonorycter caryaealbellaPecan Blotchminer Moth
- Platynota rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
- Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
- Pococera subcanalisCloaked Pococera Moth
- Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
- Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
- Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
- Psaphida electilisChosen Sallow
- Psaphida resumensFigure-Eight Sallow
- Psaphida rolandiRoland's Sallow
- Psaphida styracisFawn Sallow
- Pseudexentera cressonianaShagbark Hickory Leafroller
- Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
- Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
- Renia factiosalisSociable Renia, Undulate Renia, Dark-Banded Renia
- Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
- Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
- Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
- Scolecocampa liburnaDead-Wood Borer
- Sericaglaea signataVariable Sallow
- Sparganothis caryaeNetted Sparganothis
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Spodoptera dolichosSweetpotato Armyworm, Dolichos Armyworm, Large Cotton Armyworm
- Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
- Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
- Stigmella juglandifoliellaPecan Serpentine Leafminer
- Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
- Synanthedon geliformisPecan Bark Borer Moth
- Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
- Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
- Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
- Zale minereaColorful Zale
- Zanclognatha laevigataVariable Zanclognatha, Variable Fan-Foot
- Acrobasis caulivorella
- Acrobasis cunulae
- Acrobasis elyi
- Acrobasis evanescentella
- Acrobasis tumidulella
- Blastobasis taurusella
- Conchylodes diphteralis
- Dichomeris ventrellus
- Gretchena concubitana
- Pseudexentera hodsoni
3BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Carya
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Carya
- Campephilus principalisIvory-billed Woodpecker
- Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Plant details
- Family
- Juglandaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–9b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to neutral
- Flower color
- Yellow, green or inconspicuous
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Growth habit
- Single stem
- Foliage color
- Green
- Fruit begins
- October
- Fruit ends
- October
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “April to May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Yellow, green or inconspicuous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Slow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “60–80 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
- Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “25–40 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Florida rank | S4S5 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| FL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Sources
- Atlas of Florida Plants
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition
- NatureServe Explorer
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications

























