Hybrid Hickory: A Rare Native Tree Worth Knowing About
Meet the hybrid hickory (Carya ×collina), one of nature’s more mysterious native trees. This perennial woody species represents a fascinating example of natural hybridization within the hickory family, though it remains one of the lesser-known natives in American forests.
Where You’ll Find This Elusive Hybrid
The hybrid hickory calls a surprisingly small portion of the United States home. Currently documented in just two states—Arkansas and Missouri—this native tree has one of the most limited geographical distributions among North American hickories. Its restricted range makes it a true regional specialty that most gardeners will never encounter in the wild.
What Makes This Tree Special
As its botanical name suggests (that × symbol indicates hybrid status), Carya ×collina is the result of natural cross-breeding between different hickory species. Like other hickories, it grows as a substantial tree with a single trunk, typically reaching heights greater than 13-16 feet at maturity. Under certain environmental conditions, it might develop multiple stems or remain shorter, but it’s generally destined to become a sizeable shade tree.
The Challenge of Growing Hybrid Hickory
Here’s where things get tricky for the eager native plant gardener: this hybrid hickory is remarkably difficult to find in the nursery trade. Its limited natural range and hybrid nature mean that seeds are scarce, and the tree hasn’t been developed for commercial cultivation like its more common hickory cousins.
Should You Try to Grow It?
While the hybrid hickory’s native status makes it an appealing choice for native plant enthusiasts, several factors make it a challenging selection:
- Extremely limited availability in nurseries
- Unknown growing requirements and care needs
- Uncertain performance outside its native Arkansas-Missouri range
- Limited information about wildlife benefits and ecological role
Better Alternatives for Your Native Garden
If you’re drawn to the idea of growing native hickories, consider these more readily available and well-documented alternatives:
- Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) – widely available and adaptable
- Mockernut Hickory (Carya alba) – excellent for wildlife
- Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) – tolerates various soil conditions
- Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) – provides edible nuts and shade
The Bottom Line
The hybrid hickory represents an intriguing piece of American forest diversity, but it’s more of a botanical curiosity than a practical garden choice for most people. Unless you live in Arkansas or Missouri and stumble upon a rare source of seeds or seedlings, you’ll probably want to focus your native tree efforts on more accessible hickory species that can provide similar benefits with far less hassle.
Sometimes the most interesting native plants are the ones that remind us just how much natural diversity exists in our forests—even if we can’t always bring that diversity into our own backyards.
