Hickory Tree Symbolism Facts & Meaning: Zodiac, Superstitions, Dreams, and Myths
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Hickory Tree Facts
The shortening of the Native American tribe, Virginia Algonquian term “pawcohiccora”, referring to Hickory nut meat or milk, is where the name “Hickory” originates. The tree belongs to the genus Carya and known for its tough and durable characteristics.
Hickory is a deciduous tree where the leaves fall off at maturity. In order to conserve energy, the tree sheds nuts and leaves during the fall. As winter comes, it relies on its inner resources to regenerate. In spring, it produces fresh buds and flowers. The nut of the tree grows and ripens during the summer then it goes ready to shed again in the fall.
A good crop of nuts is typically produced every third year as it reaches 30 to 40 years old. The cycle of growing and releasing is continuous for up to 350 years.
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Hickory Tree Uses
The wood of the Hickory Tree is nearly as strong as steel, yet very flexible. Because of this, it is used for making bows, tools, and furniture. In North America, it remains to be one of the most efficient woods for burning and also excellent for making charcoals as it burns very clean while making a long-lasting fire.
The sap, on the other hand, is used as a sweetener. It is also used as a bug repellent when mixed with bear grease. For the Ojibway people, Hickory leaves were used to treat headaches naturally; while the Potawatomi used its boiled bark as a topical treatment for arthritis pain.
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Hickory Tree History
With the exception of pecans, early Hickory nut fossils had simpler and thinner shells compared to the present species. This suggests that Hickory Trees had progressively evolved and developed defenses against seed predation by rodents. The genus Carya had a wide range of distribution during this period. However, it was wiped out from Europe at the beginning of the Pleistocene Ice Age which started 2 million years ago.
Likewise, the distribution of Carya in North America vanished entirely from the continent west of the Rocky Mountains. Given that this continent has the greatest number of Juglandaceae species recorded in fossil records, professionals say that it is most likely that this region is where the genus Carya originated before spreading to other continents like Europe and Asia.
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Hickory Tree Positive Symbolism
One of the important characteristics that a person must have is patience. Hickory serves as a symbol for patience as it grows very slowly. In fact, it would take 30 to 40 years for a typical Hickory to produce nuts. Aside from that, getting a full Hickory nutmeat out is not an easy task to do. These qualities led to the association of Hickory with patience.
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Hickory Tree Negative Symbolism
The tree symbolizes a person holding onto an aspect of his or her life that must be released or at least be shared with others. Burdens can prevent a person from truly enjoying what life has to offer. Hence, it reminds us to unburden ourselves whenever we feel like we are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. Allow yourself to have new beginnings.
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Hickory Tree Cultural Symbolism
For the people of Vermont, the Hickory Tree serves as a symbol of the state’s rural agricultural heritage. It is a tree that holds a special place in their hearts. They have a tradition of tapping this tree for its sap, then boiling it to create a syrup. From generation to generation, it has been passed down as a tradition. Today, the Hickory Tree symbolizes a connection with the past of Vermont and reminds the agricultural roots of the state.
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Hickory Tree Zodiac Sign
The Hickory Tree is associated with the planet Mars and the astrological signs of Aries, and sometimes Scorpio. Its number is 5, and its day is Tuesday. It is linked to metals such as iron and gems such as flint, pipestone, bloodstone, asbestos, garnet, tourmaline, ruby, sardonyx, sard, lava, onyx, rhodochrosite, and rhodonite. All of these aspects help determine what type of spells to work on a certain day.
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Hickory Tree in Dreams
You may have seen the Hickory Tree in a dream and want to know what it means. Dreaming of a Hickory Tree can either be a lucky or a bad omen. This will depend on the specifics and other elements of the dream.
Just looking at a Hickory Tree in a dream means that you may soon suffer from trickery as other people will try to deceive you. Buying a Hickory Tree suggests a significant change in your life that can only be achieved by the use of major force. If the tree is big, it means that you are currently having regrets about losing an opportunity. On the other hand, if the tree is small, it means that you are having repressed feelings and you have to deal with it.
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Hickory Tree Omens and Superstitions
Some people believe that the Hickory Tree has the ability to protect a person as well as dispel curses. To do this, one must announce his or her intentions to the tree during a full moon. A flexible twig is taken from the tree, then bent and twisted while saying a chant. As you finish, put the twig down, and don’t forget to say thank you to the tree. Get home immediately and expect that the evil spells were warded off.
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Hickory Tree Mythology and Folklore
Hickory is a nut-bearing tree that belongs to the Carya genus. Based on Greek mythology, Carya is a Laconian princess with two sisters named Lyco and Ophe. When their father dedicated a temple to the god of wine and ecstasy named Dionysus, he came to see it and fell in love with Carya.
Lyco and Ophe tried to stop the intimacy between Carya and Dionysus. As a result, Dionysus turned Carya’s sisters into stone. Carya died suddenly and in order to protect her from his desires, he turned her into a nut tree.
