Hickory tree: features and properties. What does a hickory tree look like?

The hickory tree is one of the most valuable walnuttrees. It can reach 65 meters in height and bear fruit, even when it turns 300 years old. About how the hickory tree looks and where it is applied, we'll talk in the article.

What kind of tree is this?

Hickory, or cari is a kind of plant thatbelong to the family of walnuts. The walnuts are the closest to them in quality and appearance. But the fruits of the hickory are smaller, the furrows are not so deep and more smooth, and the shell is much thicker. To split them, you will have to make an effort.

The name "caria" is more famous. It came from the ancient Greek language, where it means "hazel". The name "hickory" is more narrow and is an invention of the North American Indians, who have long used it for food.

The genus of hickory includes about 27 species thatinclude fecal carobia, ovoid, Illinois, pecans, hickory hickory, water karya, Tonkin, Florida, Texan, etc. All of them may differ slightly in the form and taste of the fruit, the shade of the bark and the shape of the leaves. However, pure breeds of these trees in nature are rare. Close to each other species easily interbreed, acquiring new qualities.

Where does the hickory tree grow?

Hickory is the old-timer of the Earth. These trees grew on the planet even before the ice age. Their historical homeland is North America and Asia, but now they can be found in the Caucasus, in the Crimea. In Asia, only Karya Tonkin and Katai are found, while the rest are freely grown in the USA and Canada, which is why hickories are often called American walnuts.

Hickory tree prefers humid moderatelywarm climate. It hardly tolerates severe frosts and dies if the temperature for a long time lags below minus twenty degrees. The plant loves light and moisture. Often it grows near rivers, whose valleys are regularly flooded with water. Despite this, the tree does not tolerate much swamped places.

Hickory is found in broad-leaved forests andis able to withstand shading. In the forest, its crown is stretched, and the branches grow high. The soil composition of the tree is not so important, it grows easily on clayey, stony, forest and humus-rich terrain.

Description of the tree

Only Florida caricature is a shrub,The rest of the family are trees. Hickory are deciduous and monoecious. Female and male flowers are on the same plant. They are pollinated by the wind. The fruits are still green if pollination occurs within the same tree, and not between different individuals.

Walnut tree hickory can grow up to 65 metersin height. The branches differ in thickness: in the North Carolina and shaggy species they are thick, with a heart-shaped and naked carina thin. Their color of young shoots varies from green and brown to dark violet.

The bark is initially smooth and gray, with timebegins to exfoliate and become covered with cracks. The crown of the tree is sprawling and has a haptic shape. Leaves slightly elongate, pointed at the ends. On the edges they are surrounded by grooves. In the fall, they turn yellow and fall off. Each leaf, except the topmost, has its opposing pair. On the cuttings they can be from 5 to 17. The farther from the beginning of the stem, the larger their size.

Fruits of hickory

The fruits of the hickory tree in botany are defined asa false drupe. Their top layer is a soft green peel, which eventually becomes brown and rusty. When the fruit ripens, the shell is cracked into four parts.

Under the husk is a "bone" with a nut inside. The bony shell is of different thicknesses. It lacks cracks and holes, which is why its splitting is a very labor-consuming task. But such an adaptation does not allow caterpillars, worms and other pests to penetrate the fetus. The nuts themselves are small, yellowish-white or brown in color.

All trees of this genus are divided into two largegroup. The first have bitter and unfit for human fruits. Nevertheless, they are pleased to eat squirrels, foxes, chipmunks, rabbits and birds. Trees of the second group have sweet and very useful nuts. Edible nuts hickory often combine under the name "pecan".

Benefits of hazelnuts

Man cultivates and eats kernelsfennel, pecan, karyi, ovoid, etc. Their fruits are very sweet and the most fatty among all existing nuts. They contain a lot of protein, amino acids, microelements and vitamins.

They are eaten raw, in dried or fried form. Sprinkle them with pastries, add to salads or cereals. The nut pecan satisfies hunger for a long time, it saturates the body with energy and at the same time cleanses the blood, reduces the level of cholesterol.

In the fruits of hickory there are 19 different vitamins and minerals. They contain a lot of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, selenium and the most important folic acid for humans. The nut also contains vitamins A, B₁, B₅, C, E. But to overeat them, too, should not, without difficulty the body can cope with only one hundred grams of nuts per day.

Of the fruits of cari make butter, which isproperties even surpasses the olive. It is eaten and used externally. The oil increases the immunity, and when applied to the skin it gives it firmness, soothes and softens.

Wood of cari

Useful in caries is not only fruits. The hickory tree is highly valued in the construction industry, whether its nuts are edible or not. Its wood is strong, elastic. It is resistant to wear, but it is not easy to work with tools. The hardness of the tree exceeds the red oak.

It was from the hickory that they made their first planeWright brothers. One of the main advantages of this tree is that even after treatment with dyes and compounds it retains its elasticity and perfectly bends.

Of the wood hickory, the Indians made bows, andThe English used it for carts. Now, caries are used to decorate interiors, produce drum sticks, handles for tools, furniture and much more.

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