Pignut hickory

Carya glabra, the pignut hickory, is a common, but not abundant species of hickory in the oak-hickory forest association in the Eastern United States and Canada. Other common names are pignut, sweet pignut, coast pignut hickory, smoothbark hickory, swamp hickory, and broom hickory. The pear-shaped nut ripens in September and October and is an important part of the diet of many wild animals. The wood is used for a variety of products, including fuel for home heating. The range of pignut hickory covers nearly all of the eastern United States (11). The species grows in central Florida and westward through Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast to Alabama through Mississippi. It extends through parts of East Texas to Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri and extreme southeastern Iowa. Its range further includes Massachusetts and the southwest corner of New Hampshire westward through southern Vermont to central Lower Peninsula of Michigan and North Carolina. The best development of this species is in the lower Ohio River Basin. It prevails over other species of hickory in the Appalachian forests. Pignut makes up much of the hickory harvested in Kentucky, West Virginia, the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee, and the hill country of the Ohio Valley. Pignut hickory is also found in Canada in southern Ontario. It does however have a limited range and is restricted to the Niagara Peninsula, southern Halton Region, the Hamiltonarea along western Lake Ontario, and southward along the northern shore of Lake Erie and pockets of extreme southwestern Ontario. Pignut hickory grows in a humid climate with an average annual precipitation of 760 to 2,030 mm (30 to 80 in) of which 510 to 1,020 mm (20 to 40 in) is rain during the growing season. Average snowfall varies from little to none in the South to 2,540 mm (100 in) or more in the mountains of West Virginia, southeastern New York, and southern North Carolina (25). Within the range of pignut hickory, average annual temperatures vary from 7 °C (45 °F) in the north to 21 °C (70 °F) in Florida. Average January temperature varies from -4° to 16 °C (25° to 60 °F) and average July temperature varies from 21° to 27 °C (70° to 80 °F). Extremes of 46° and -30 °C (115° and -22 °F) have been recorded within the range. The growing season varies by latitude and elevation from 140 to 300 days. Mean annual relative humidity ranges from 70 to 80 percent with small monthly differences; daytime relative humidity often falls below 50% while nighttime humidity approaches 100%. Mean annual hours of sunshine range from 2,200 to 3,000. Average January sunshine varies from 100 to 200 hours, and July sunshine from 260 to 340 hours. Mean daily solar radiation ranges from 12.57 to 18.86 million J m± (300 to 450 langleys). In January daily radiation varies from 6.28 to 12.57 million J m± (150 to 300 langleys), and in July from 20.95 to 23.04 million J m± (500 to 550 langleys).