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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Scientific Name Carya aquatica Trade Name Water hickory Family Name Juglandaceae Common Names Bitter pecan, Bitter water hickory, Hickory, Pecan, Swamp hickory, Water hickory, Wild pecan Regions of Distribution Central America, North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Mexico, United States Common Uses Building materials, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Handles, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Kitchen cabinets, Ladders , Living-room suites, Millwork, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Paneling , Parquet flooring, Poles, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wheelwright work Environmental Profile Widespread May be rare in some parts of its range Globally secure Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant May be rare in some parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Distribution Overview Water hickory is found in low, wet woods from Texas east to Florida and north to southern Illinois and Virginia (distribution map). Individuals of this species can tolerate both a wetter site and a wider range of soil moisture levels than any other hickory, surviving on poorly drained, tight textured soils that are flooded in winter and parched in summer. It is a major component of two forest cover types: Sugarberry-American Elm-Green Ash and Overcup Oak-Water Hickory. In north Louisiana, water hickory is found in association with C. ovata and C. cordiformis on Guyton soils. The position of the species is distinct, however, with water hickory occupiing the lowest, wettest sites Heartwood Color Reddish brown Pale brown Brown Sapwood Color White Pale brown When appearence is a requirement, white sapwood is sometimes preffered Grain Even Closed Figure Straight Irregular Wavy Occasionally wavy Irregular grain occasionally Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Coarse Coarse Luster Medium Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Very little natural resistance Susceptible to attack by insects Susceptible to attack by fungi Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules T8 - D3 (4/4); T6 - D1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Splitting Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Distortion Wet wood may cause honeycomb and ring failure during drying Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Slight end splitting End checks, hairline splits, and warping may also occur Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Fairly high risk of shrinkage Dries rapidly with little or no degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Tallest of all the hickories Comments 'bird pecks' leave residue Deposits - Magnesium carbonate deposits are present in the wood, and 'Bird pecks' leave residue that crystallizes. Deposits in the wood This species is a True pecan, and can be separated from the True hickories by weight, and by the narrow bands of parenchyma, which appear between the rays and between the large earlywood pores. (In hickory the band occurs after the first row of earlywood pores.) Blunting Effect Severe effect Medium effect Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Gluing Use special attention for best results Satisfactory gluing properties Carefully controlled conditions are required Moulding Requires special attention. A reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees is suggested for best results Movement in Service Stable Small Small movement after manufacture Nailing Pre-boring recommended Planing Special attention required Material with irregular grain requires a reduction in cutting angle of 20 degrees Resistance to Impregnation Wood is moderately resistant to treatment Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Sanding Good sanding qualities Steam Bending Excellent Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Staining Stains well Strength Properties Heavy Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content) is very high. Compression strength parallel to grain, or maximum crushing strength, is also very high - higher than in Teak or Hard maple. It is a very heavy wood Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9947 17444 psi Crushing Strength 862 1519 psi Impact Strength 55 52 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4567 8428 psi Shearing Strength 1411 psi Stiffness 1450 1980 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 19 19 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.57 0.58 Weight 44 36. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 699 1226 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 60 106 kg/cm2 Impact Strength 139 131 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 321 592 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 99 kg/cm2 Stiffness 101 139 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 1.33 1.33 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.57 0.58 References Boone, R. S., C. J. Kozlik, P. J. Bois, and E. M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Kaiser, Jo-ann. Wood of the Month: Hickory. Wood and Wood Products, September, 1990. Page 46. Lincoln, W. A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Company, Inc., Fresno, California. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A. J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Rendle, B.J. Editor. 1969. World Timbers, Volume Two - North & South America (Including Central America and the West Indies). Published by Ernest Benn Limited, Bouverie House, Fleet Street, London. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.