Southern Shagbark Hickory
Carya carolinae-septentrionalis
Found in floodplain and bottomland forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you
Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 88%
- Height
- Up to about 125 feet
- Light
- Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun
- Soil moisture
- Dry
No photograph yet. Looking for an old drawing…
Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source
Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Bloom
- April to May
- Fruiting season
- October
Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves
Recorded in 3 Virginia counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 132 animals.
- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
- Yellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanus
- Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virens
- Yellow-rumped WarblerDendroica coronata
- American KestrelFalco sparverius
- American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla
- American WoodcockScolopax minor
- Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus
- Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus
- Black-throated Blue WarblerDendroica caerulescens
- Black-throated Green WarblerDendroica virens
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- Cerulean WarblerDendroica cerulea
- Chestnut-sided WarblerDendroica pensylvanica
- Chuck-will's-widowCaprimulgus carolinensis
- Common RavenCorvus corax
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe
- Eurasian Collared-doveStreptopelia decaocto
- Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Olive-sided FlycatcherContopus cooperi
Who uses this plant?
250CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA
Genus host records with ranges including VA · 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 angusellaHickory Leafstem Borer Moth
- Acrobasis caryaePecan Shoot-Borer Moth, Hickory Shoot Borer Moth
- Acrobasis caryivorellaPecan Nursery Casemaker, Hickory Shoot Moth
Show all 250
- Acrobasis demotellaWalnut Shoot Moth
- Acrobasis exsulellaCordovan Pyralid, Cordovan Acrobasis
- Acrobasis juglandisPecan Leaf Casebearer
- Acrobasis stigmellaHickory Bud-and-Shoot Borer
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
- Acronicta ovataOvate Dagger, Epauleted Oak 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 senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
- 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 fervidanaOak Webworm 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
- Besma endropiariaStraw Besma
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Blastobasis glandulellaAcorn Moth
- Bleptina caradrinalisBent-Winged Owlet, Variable Snout
- Callima argenticinctellaOrange-Headed Epicallima
- Callosamia anguliferaTulip-Tree Silkmoth
- Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
- Catocala angusiAngus Underwing
- Catocala consorsThe Consort
- Catocala dejectaDejected Underwing
- Catocala epioneEpione Underwing
- Catocala flebilisMourning Underwing
- Catocala habilisHabilis Underwing
- Catocala insolabilisInconsolable Underwing
- Catocala judithJudith's Underwing
- Catocala lacrymosaTearful Underwing
- Catocala maestosaSad Underwing
- Catocala nebulosaClouded Underwing
- Catocala neogamaThe Bride
- Catocala obscuraObscure Underwing
- Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
- Catocala piatrixThe Penitent, Penitent Underwing
- Catocala residuaResidua Underwing
- Catocala retectaYellow-Grey Underwing
- Catocala robinsoniiRobinson's Underwing
- Catocala sapphoSappho Underwing
- Catocala serenaSerene Underwing
- Catocala similisSimilar Underwing
- Catocala subnataYouthful 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 atromarginataPistol Casebearer, American Pistol Casebearer Moth
- Coleophora laticornellaPecan Cigar Casebearer
- Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
- Cydia caryanaHickory Shuckworm, Pecan Shuckworm
- Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
- Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
- Dasychira obliquataStreaked 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
- Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
- Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
- Gesta juvenalisJuvenal's Duskywing
- Gretchena bollianaPecan Bud Moth
- Gretchena deludanaBud Worm, Arrowhead Moth
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hydrelia inornataUnadorned Carpet
- Hypagyrtis estherEsther Moth
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hypena baltimoralisBaltimore Bomolocha, Baltimore Snout
- Hypena madefactalisGray-Edged Bomolocha, Gray-Edged 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
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Isa textulaCrowned Slug
- Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
- Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
- Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
- Lambdina pellucidariaYellow-Headed Looper, Eastern Pine Looper
- Larisa subsolanaDark-Based Larisa
- Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane baileyiBailey's Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane heminaHemina Pinion
- Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
- Lithophane patefactaDiomorphic Pinion, Branded Pinion
- Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
- Lithophane querqueraShivering Pinion
- Lochmaeus bilineataDouble-Lined Prominent
- Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
- Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
- Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
- Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
- Lytrosis permagnariaGray Lytrosis
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier 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 latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
- Morrisonia mucensGray Woodgrain
- Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
- Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria lixariaRed-Bordered Emerald
- Nemoria rubrifrontariaRed-Fronted 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
- Orthodes detractaDisparaged Arches, Disparaged Groundcat
- Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
- Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
- Packardia geminataJeweled Tail Slug Moth
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- 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
- Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
- Platynota rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
- Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
- 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
- Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
- Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
- Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
- Renia factiosalisSociable Renia, Undulate Renia, Dark-Banded Renia
- Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
- Satyrium caryaevorusHickory Hairstreak
- 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 scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
- Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Tortricidia flexuosaAbbreviated Button Slug Moth
- Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
- Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
- Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
- Zale minereaColorful Zale
- Zanclognatha laevigataVariable Zanclognatha, Variable Fan-Foot
- Zeiraphera improbanaLarch Budmoth, Larch Needleworm
- Acrobasis caryalbella
- Acrobasis cunulae
- Acrobasis elyi
- Acrobasis tumidulella
- Agonopterix eupatoriiella
- Asaphocrita aphidiella
- Asaphocrita busckiella
- Blastobasis taurusella
- Dichomeris ventrellus
- Gretchena concubitana
- Olethreutes merrickana
- Ortholepis jugosella
- Pseudexentera hodsoni
- Stilbosis venifica
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
- Flower color
- Yellow, green or brown
- Fruit begins
- October
- Fruit ends
- October
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “April to May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Yellow, green or brown” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Fruit begins · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Height · “Up to about 125 feet” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Light · “Partial shade; Full shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Soil · “Dry (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Also known as
Carolina Shagbark Hickory
Conservation status
| Virginia rank | S1 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5? |
| VA 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
- Virginia DCR Natural Heritage rare plant list
- Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025)
- 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

























