I am not sure how to distinguish between the two of them. I a sure others are in the same boat. If the one George found is a pignut, the first version of the tables lists the x 7. The Georges would be taller than any on the list. I don't know about the "pignuts" in South Carolina, but here is some potential that other pignuts elsewhere on the list may be red hickory.
I am not sure what to say about it at this time. People with tree information need to look over jess's list to fix any omissions on it. A quick look at Georges data, led to questions about four of the species listed. I have tried to look at the data I submitted to the list, but am still finding stuff. When Jess sends a revised list I will go over it again with a fine toothed comb and try to weed out any omission I may have made..
Ed "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. They may actually be red hickory, as the one in Swannanoa may be as well. Will F. Jess seems to have a good handle on it. I ma glad someone does, because I find myself a mite perplexed. Little , a variety with nearly the same range, has the fruit husks spitting to the base, usually 7 leaflets, and often shaggy bark. Sweet Pignut Hickory C. So I am wondering if Red Hickory is a separate species, subspecies, variety, or what.
Peterson's indicates it is no longer considered as a separate species, but it is listed elsewhere as one. The most definitive characteristic seems to be how the nut splits. It thrives in the same areas as the pignut, and is often hard to distinguished from the pignut hickory. Many people consider red hickory to be a northern ecotype of the pignut hickory. At maturity, the red hickory attains a height of feet with a trunk diameter of from feet.
The crown is narrowly oblong with rather short, spreading branches. Lower branches are drooping. The trunk extends straight into the crown and is often forked. Branchlets and leaflets are scarcely pubescent. The bark is dark gray, fissured, and closely held on young trees. Mature bark separates into narrow, shaggy plates on older trunks, but even these plates are more tightly held than shagbark and shellbark hickories. This character give rise to the name of false-shagbark hickory. Leaflets sharply taper at the apex and are finely serrate, or toothed, along the margin.
