Carya ovata, the shagbark hickory, is a common hickory in the Eastern United States. It is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over 100 ft (30 m) tall, and will live over 350 years. The leaves are 30–60 cm (12–24 in) long, pinnate, with five (rarely three or seven) leaflets, the terminal three leaflets much larger than the basal pair. The nuts are edible with an excellent flavor, and are a popular food among people and squirrels alike. They are unsuitable to commercial or orchard production due to the long time it takes for a tree to produce sizable crops and unpredictable output from year to year.
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