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NOTE: there is rarely any "standard" or "typical" look for a wood so take what's in this table with a grain of salt the REST of the pictures on this page will give you a better overall feel for this wood

hickory / Carya spp. of the family Juglandaceae, the walnut family Principally Carya glabra Carya lachinosa Carya ovata (syn. Hicoria ovata) Carya tomentosa and you will never, as far as I can tell, see any of those listed as pecan --- as far as I can tell, there are NO Carya species that are listed as pecan that are not also listed as hickory but there are several that are listed as hickory but not as pecan and that includes those just listed. Hickory frequently cannot be distinguished from pecan without close examination and in fact the two are often mixed indiscriminately in lumber yards and simply sold as hickory. 5" x 5" flat cut, 5" x 5" quartersawn, 1" wide end grain, and a 1/4" x 1/4" end grain closeup. Ring porous with large to very large earlywood pores in one or two rows, mostly solitary but with occasional multiples 2 or 3 pores long, dropping sometimes slightly gradually but usually abruptly to much smaller latewood pores (which also sometime have multiples but less frequently), rays are narrow and plentiful and easily visible at 10X (not to the naked eye). Banded parenchyma (but could also be classified as reticulate parenchyma) and an important note is that the parenchyma bands are present throughout the growth ring in the pecan hickory group but in the true hickory group they are absent from the earlywood area of large pores, as illustrated in the link in this box: HICKORY VS PECAN

my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions

planks --- grain shows much better in the enlargements; color is accurate




both sides of a plank and a closeup --- grain shows much better in the enlargements; color is accurate


planks with some spalting and a closeup --- grain shows much better in the enlargements; color is accurate


the other side of the planks directly above --- grain shows much better in the enlargements; color is accurate


end grain of all 5 of the planks directly above --- color has a very slight green tint that should not be there


plank shot in a lumber store and a closeup of one section --- HUGE enlargements are present


plank and end grain (this was cut from one of the larger planks above)


end grain closeup of the piece directly above


plank and end grain (this was cut from one of the larger planks above)


end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above


closeups of a couple of flat cut sections of planks --- color is correct for the intense light I used but in normal light it doesn't look so faded or quite so pink; my point was to show the open pores as they look on flat cut surfaces


both sides of a sample plank of hickory / Carya spp. --- HUGE enlargements are present.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


plank and end grain


end grain closeup of the piece directly above --- sanding scratches are pretty bad


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of shagbark hickory / Carya ovata


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of shagbark hickory / Carya ovata --- HUGE enlargements are present.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of shagbark hickory / Carya ovata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


A note about this sample: PALLET WOOD
both sides of a sample plank of shagbark hickory / Carya ovata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above. I believe had I sliced off 1/8" the gray would have disappeared.


first face and the end grain of a sample of shagbark hickory / Carya ovata. This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION A. The white material in the pores, both on the face grain and in the end grain, is sanding dust, not a natural characteristic of the wood.


the second face, before and after slicing off 1/8" showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.


end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above.


both sides of a sample plank of quartersawn shagbark hickory / Carya ovata--- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


Mark Peet brought over a small log of shagbark hickory that he had cut down about a month ago and we cut off a plank and some smaller IWCS-sized sample pieces, which are all shown here. You can see from the end grain closeup that all the pieces we cut are quartersawn and you can also see the result of my not immediately sealing the ends. The little cracks developed within a day and after I stupidly went ANOTHER day without sealing the ends the larger piece developed a small bow. I'll let all this set in my attic for a year and then take end grain closeups [LATER: this is now done --- see below]


one of the small pieces cut from the same log as the bigger piece directly above


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above, showing the cracks that developed in this unseasoned piece because I didn't seal the ends soon enough).


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above, taken after the wood had dried in my attic for a year and had the ends sliced shorter and cleaned up


both sides of a sample plank of quartersawn mockernut hickory / Carya tomentosa --- I note that although this piece is perfectly quartersawn the ray flakes are hard to see.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of mockernut hickory / Carya tomentosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of mockernut hickory / Carya tomentosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of mockernut hickory / Carya tomentosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of mockernut hickory / Carya tomentosa --- HUGE enlargements are present.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of pignut hickory / Carya glabra


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of pignut hickory / Carya glabra --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of pignut hickory / Carya glabra --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


quartersawn surface on one edge of the piece directly above and showing nice little ray flakes. Hickory is not known for having very noticeable ray flakes.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of pignut hickory / Carya glabra --- HUGE enlargements are present.


end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above


first face and the end grain of a sample of pignut hickory / Carya spp. --- This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION G


the second face, before and after sanding it down a bit, showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.


end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above


both sides of a sample plank of shellbark hickory / Carya laciniosa


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of shellbark hickory / Carya laciniosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of shellbark hickory / Carya laciniosa --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


first face and the end grain of a sample of hickory. This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION B


the second face, before and after slicing off 1/8" showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.


end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above.


spalted hickory plank and end grain (end grain pic has had too much red removed)


end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above --- the end grain closeup color is too red, it should be more brown/orange, but the update color is correct.


spalted hickory plank and end grain with accurate color


end grain and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above


both sides of a plank of spalted wormy hickory


side grain closeup of the piece directly above showing a couple of the wormholes up close


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


a couple of small pieces of hickory


hickory flooring, shot at a friends house --- both levels of enlargement are present but the focus was not perfect so the 2nd level enlargement is slightly fuzzy


thick veneer (1/12th inch) that is VERY grainy


normal thickness veneer (about 1/42nd) that is not super-grainy like the thick veneer, although this is a more grainy wood than average.


veneer with sapwood --- colors are pretty much correct, but the pic makes the wood look just a touch more rich than it really is. The normal graininess of hickory shows up better in this sample than in the one directly above.


veneer sheet and closeup; the distance pic has a touch too much red tint but the color on the closeup is very accurate


veneer sheet and 2 closeups

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more veneer from my stock --- these are from a diverse lot of hickory from several flitches.


veneer sheets chosen to show some of the variety available


pure sapwood


a relatively smooth piece and a grainy piece




quartersawn veneer with ray flakes and a closeup of the same sheet


pure heartwood, darker than normal


interesting yellowish sapwood on this one but the pic makes it look too red


veneer with heavy curl --- many vendors would list this as fiddleback

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The Wood Book pics


flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
shagbark hickory (Hicoria ovata, which is just a syn. for Carya ovata, also listed as shellbark hickory) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views


flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
big shellbark hicory (Hicoria laciniosa, which is just a syn. for Carya laciniosa, also listed as thick shellbark hickory and king nut) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views


flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
pignut hickory (Hicoria glabra, which is just a syn. for Carya glabra, also listed as brown hickory and black hickory) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views


flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views


flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
small fruited hickory (Carya microcarpa) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views


flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
pale-leaf hickory (Hicoria villosa, which is just a syn. for Carya texana) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views

web pics:

hickory log end showing the highly variable ratio of heartwood to sapwood


hickory branch cutoffs


bitternut hickory log half (moistened for the pic but even so the orange color seems too strong)


pignut hickory log ends


shagbark hickory slabs with some spalting, some gray stain (mineral stain?) and one book matched pair


bitternut hickory turning stock


shagbark hickory log half (moistened for the pic but even so the orange color seems too strong)


planks with wet and dry sections


pignut hickory planks, freshly milled and moistened for the pic


slabs with natural edges


pignut hickory slabs


slabs listed as pignut hickory / Carya glabra, freshly milled


bookmatched pignut hickory slabs, freshly milled


bitternut hickory


nutmeg hickory


pignut hickory


planks, just listed as hickory


plank listed as American hickory / Caraya glabra and with a color that is just ridiculous


this plank was listed as hickory but had I see the pic with no ID I would have unhesitatingly identified it as American white elm and I still think that might be what it actually is.


planks and a closeup


two pics of the same set of planks --- if these are weathered, the color could be accurate


plank listed as sweet hickory / Carya glabra


plank listed as hickory / Carya tomentosa


plywood


rustic hickory planks --- the first two pics are two views of the same set of planks


turning stock


bowl blanks


turning stock listed as shagbark hickory


shagbark hickory turning stock wet, dry, and end grain (wet); I think the color in the end grain pic is oversaturated towards the yellow


shagbark hickory turning stock wet, dry, and end grain (wet)


curly planks


curly pen blanks


spalted


veneer


veneer all from the same vendor --- color is too pink on most of this


veneer sheet closeups with both levels of enlargement available --- color is too pink on these, I believe, but the grain looks representative


quartersawn hickory veneer, listed as "white" hickory --- I have no idea how accurate the color is, but I find it unlikely.


figured veneer very tight curl) and closeup


pecky veneer


bowl rounds


curly hickory scales


planks, all from the same vendor and all listed as curly shagbark hickory / Carya ovata


shagbark hickory plank


slabs listed as scaly bark hickory


shagbark hickory that seems to be unusual in both the orange color and the bark inclusions (or whatever it is that is causing all the brown spots)


two views of a shagbark hickory turning block; color in the left pic seems too orange


shagbark hickory turning stock and bowl blanks, some moistened for the pics


water hickory planks --- note that these are actually in the pecan group and should be on the pecan page (assuming that they have been correctly identified as water hickory)


wormy hickory planks

the end grain of a pair of very cool bookmatched spalted pignut hickory scales


spalted pignut hickory knife handle


hickory burl turning stock, dry and wet


flooring --- some of this is "rustic" (meaning heavy knots and some flaws allowed)


I don't know if this is sloppy flooring or just some planks positioned together but in either case, the blue color is unlikely


door


entertainment center


pens, all listed as pignut hickory


hickory coasters


hickory drumstick


spalted hickory hat shot at a woodworking show. HUGE enlargements are present. The finish is polyurethane.


hickory burl pool cue (segment)


urn and hollow form


nested natural edge pignut hickory bowls and the largest one shown separately


pignut hickory bowls


bitternut hickory bowl


shagbark hickory bowls


hickory bowls


two views of a hickory bowl --- color looks very accurate to me.


pignut hickory bowl turned and photographed by Tom Pleatman, whom I thank for this pic and other contributions to the site. Big enlargements are present.


spalted hickory turned pot and top and a spalted hickory bowl