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Shellbark Hickory

Carya laciniosa

Found in bottomland forests, hardwood flatwoods, swamps; rarely in moist upland forests and on rich lower slopes. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

74
Strong

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height
40–100 feet
Spread
40–60 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually 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 6 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Swamps

Forested wetlands with standing water much of the year, such as cypress and gum swamps.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 87 animals.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

236CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · 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 demotellaWalnut Shoot Moth
Show all 236
  • Acrobasis juglandisPecan Leaf Casebearer
  • Acrobasis palliolellaPecan Leaf Casebearer Moth, Mantled Acrobasis
  • 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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • 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
  • Olethreutes nigranumVariable Nigranum, Dark Olethreutes
  • 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 canadensisCanadian Tiger Swallowtail
  • 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
  • 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 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
  • Acrobasis caryalbella
  • Acrobasis tumidulella
  • Agonopterix eupatoriiella
  • Dichomeris ventrellus
  • Gretchena concubitana
  • Hydrelia condensata
  • Olethreutes merrickana
  • Ortholepis jugosella
  • Pseudexentera hodsoni
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
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
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
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
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Juglandaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Yellow or green
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
Also known as

Big Shellbark Hickory; Kingnut Hickory

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS4
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources