Wood: The
best quality hickory wood comes from this species and it is an exceptionally
strong and heavy US native wood. The wood is light brown, close-grained,
very hard, tough and flexible. Because it is shock-resistant, it is the
principal wood used for handles for hammers, axes and other striking tools.
It is also used for skis and other sporting equipment, agricultural implements,
ladder rungs, baskets and charcoal. It is a popular choice for kitchen cabinets,
and was once also used to make wooden wheels and wagons. It is one of the
best firewoods available, and the chips and sawdust are used for smoking
meat.
Wildlife: The nut is eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, grosbeaks, woodpeckers, bluejays, nuthatches, turkeys, and many other kinds of wildlife. Native Americans used the nut as a staple food in their fall diet, mashing the nuts and mixing them with water to extract the oil to use in making various types of cakes.
Horticulture: In Iowa, the shagbark hickory
is sometimes used for reforestation and woodlot improvement,
but it grows more slowly than oaks and most other native trees. Because
it is slow-growing and has a massive taproot when young, which makes it
difficult to transplant, this species is seldom used in landscaping.
