P: Shagbark Hickory

The Shagbark is found widely throughout the eastern United States. It thrives on slopes and ridges with well-drained soil, though it can tolerate wet conditions in valleys and coves. Its nuts provide food for many species of birds and mammals, including mice, squirrels, chipmunks, and ducks. The nuts have a sweet flavor and were a staple food for Indigenous people.

You can identify a Shagbark by its namesake bark, which peels away from the trunk in thick, “shaggy” strips. Its compound leaves usually have 5, oval-shaped leaflets with serrated edges.