Hican
Also known as: Carya aquatica · Leconte Hickory
What's special about Hican
Hybrid or selection of water hickory with larger, sweeter nuts.
Growing this variety
Hican follows the same growing basics as Hickory & Pecan. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Hickory & Pecan family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Plant fresh nuts in deep pots or directly outdoors in fall. Hickories and pecans need 60–120 days cold-moist stratification. Protect from squirrels and mice.
Pre-sow treatment
60–120 days cold moist stratification; do not let nuts dry out.
Grower's tip
Majestic North American nut trees. Pecans are cultivated commercially; hickories are prized for timber, wildlife, and flavorful nuts.
Soil preferences
Deep, well-drained native soil. Avoid amending the planting hole heavily — roots should learn to grow into the surrounding earth.
5.5–7.5 depending on species (conifers lean acidic; most hardwoods neutral).
Top-dress with compost and mulch in a wide ring; don't backfill with pure compost.
Watering
Deep soak weekly the first two years while roots establish; taper once the tree self-supports.
Slow trickle at the drip line, not the trunk. A 5-gal bucket with a pinhole is ideal.
Overwatered: yellowing, root rot, mushroom collar. Underwatered: leaf scorch, early leaf drop.
Prefers top-watering — Trees are always top-watered — deep slow soak at the drip line, never at the trunk. Bottom-watering only makes sense for nursery seedlings.
Temperature tolerance
Broad — most species tolerate 40–90°F once established
Down to species-rated USDA zone minimum
Hardy once established; young seedlings need protection their first winter.
Special germination requirements
Most temperate tree seed needs cold stratification (30–120+ days at 34–41°F) — see each species entry for the exact time.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
Deep tree pots (root trainers) for the first 1–2 seasons; permanent site required for full growth.
Only dwarf, patio, or bonsai forms live long-term in containers.
Detailed harvesting
Not applicable for ornamental/timber trees. Nut and fruit species — pick when they drop naturally.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Nuts: keep damp and cool, sow promptly. Winged/coned seed: dry, cool, dark in a sealed jar.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Shade, windbreak, wildlife habitat, timber, ornament, and long-term carbon storage.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Wind- or insect-pollinated; seedlings rarely match the parent exactly (especially named cultivars — those must be grafted or cutting-grown).
Not practical for trees. Expect variation.
Collect fully ripe seed in fall, clean, dry or keep damp per species, then cold-stratify before spring sowing.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for hickory & pecan in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Hican Hickory & Pecan notes
Hican Hickory & Pecan seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow hickory & pecan from what you already have
Trees usually mean patience — collect fully ripe seed in fall, clean pulp off, and give most species a cold winter (real or in the fridge) before they'll germinate.
- 1Collect ripe seed/nuts/cones in autumn from a healthy parent.
- 2Clean off any fleshy pulp; dry cones warm to release seed.
- 3Cold-stratify in a bag of damp sand or peat in the fridge (34–41°F) for the time listed on the species.
- 4Sow in deep tree pots and grow on 1–2 seasons before planting to a permanent spot.
Storage: Most tree seed keeps 1–3 years cool and dry; oak/hickory/chestnut nuts must stay damp and be sown promptly.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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Other Hickory & Pecan varieties
Pecan
N/ALarge commercial nut tree with sweet, buttery pecans. Needs a long, warm growing season.
Greenriver Pecan
N/APopular pecan cultivar — large, thin-shelled nuts with excellent flavor.
Hirishi Pecan
N/ANamed pecan variety selected for nut quality and tree vigor.
Kanza Pecan
N/ACold-hardy, scab-resistant pecan with high-quality nuts.
Lakota Pecan
N/AHigh-yielding pecan with excellent kernel quality and disease resistance.
Pawnee Pecan
N/AEarly-ripening northern pecan; large nuts and relatively compact tree.
Posey Pecan
N/APecan cultivar valued for consistent nut production.
Water Hickory
N/AWetland hickory of the southeastern U.S.; bitter nuts but valuable timber and wildlife food.
Shellbark Hickory
N/ALarge shaggy-barked hickory with the biggest, sweetest hickory nuts.
Shagbark Hickory
N/AClassic shaggy-barked hickory; sweet, hard-shelled nuts and excellent timber.
Sand Hickory
N/ADry-site hickory of the southeastern coastal plain; small sweet nuts.
Mockernut Hickory
N/ACommon upland hickory with thick-shelled, tasty nuts and strong timber.