It is oblong and somewhat flattened, with four prominent ridges. Because the kernel is large and sweet, it makes fine eating as well as furnishing a source of food for squirrels and other wildlife. Shellbark has the largest leaves and fruit of all the hickories. Early settlers used this tree as an indicator of good soil. Because of land cleared for agriculture, shellbark has become relatively scarce.
Twigs are stout, orange-brown and are usually densely hairy.
There are light spots scattered over the young bark. Buds at the end of the twigs are elliptically shaped, covered by several loose brown scales. Bark on the mature tree is gray with broad loose plates forming a shaggy appearance. The bark very much resembles that of shagbark. All rights reserved.