Alternate name: Buckley Hickory, Pignut Hickory

Family: Juglandaceae, Walnut view all from this family

Description Nut tree with irregular spreading or rounded crown, the common hickory from the Ozark region southwest to Texas.
Height: 20-30' (6-9 m).
Diameter: 1' (0.3 m), sometimes larger.
Leaves: pinnately compound; 6-12" (15-30 cm) long, axis covered with rust-colored hairs when young. Usually 7 leaflets (or 5), 2-6" (5-15 cm) long; lance-shaped; stalkless; finely saw-toothed; covered with rust-colored hairs when young. Becoming shiny dark green and hairless above, paler and hairless or slightly hairy on veins beneath.
Bark: black or becoming gray; rough, thick, and deeply furrowed.
Twigs: brown; slender; covered with rust-colored hairs when young.
Flowers: tiny; greenish; in early spring before leaves. Male, with 4-5 stamens; many in slender drooping catkins, 3 hanging from 1 stalk. Female, 1-2 flowers at tip of same twig.
Fruit: 1 1/4-1 1/2" (3-4 cm) long; rounded with thin husk often slightly winged, splitting to base. Hickory nut short-pointed, slightly angled, thick-shelled, with small edible or bitter seed.

Habitat Dry rocky and sandy uplands, usually with oaks.

Range SW. Indiana and Missouri south to S. Texas and Louisiana; at 100-2800' (30-854 m).

Discussion This species is the hickory that ranges farthest west, to the Edwards Plateau of central Texas. Its small size makes the wood of minor commercial importance.