Hickory is the name of a group of medium-sized to large broadleaf trees. There are about 15 species (kinds) of hickories, most of which are native to North America. A few species are native to eastern Asia. Hickories are valuable for their tough, hard wood. Some species are known for their edible nuts.
Hickories are common in the broadleaf forests of the eastern and central parts of the United States. Some species may grow 100 to 150 feet (30 to 45 meters) high. Some live 200 to 500 years.
Hickories have straight trunks and spreading branches. The leaves are made up of 3 to 17 toothed leaflets. In the spring, hickories bear clusters of small greenish flowers. The flowers are pollinated by the wind. The fruit consists of a round to oblong, hard-shelled nut inside a tight husk. During ripening, the husk typically splits into four sections. The nuts fall in September and October, and many mammals and birds eat them.
Manufacturers use hickory wood for the handles of tools, especially axes, hammers, and picks. In addition, the wood is used for baseball bats and furniture. At one time, wagon makers fashioned wheels out of hickory wood.
Hickory wood is heavy and dense. As a result, it burns slowly and produces much heat. It is often used for smoking meats, such as bacon and ham.
The pecan is a species of hickory cultivated for its sweet, thin-shelled nuts. It is native to the Mississippi River Valley, but it is widely planted elsewhere. The bitternut hickory is the most widespread hickory in eastern North America. Its nuts are too bitter-tasting for people to eat. The shagbark hickory has shaggy bark that peels off in long, curved strips. Its sweet, edible nuts once served as a basic food for many Native American peoples. Shagbark hickory wood is used to make high-quality charcoal. The mockernut hickory is the most common hickory species in the southern part of the United States. It provides one of the best woods for manufacturing purposes. The pignut hickory usually yields the heaviest commercial hickory wood.
