A large, relatively intolerant tree on moist, well-drained ridges in the Mississippi valley bottomlands which bears commercially-valuable fruit. Wood is not as strong as that from true hickories. It is the largest of the native hickories. Leaves consist of 9-17 lanceolate leaflets with pubescent or glabrous rachis. Twigs are relatively stout, red-brown, with orange-brown lenticels, and yellow-brown scurfy buds. Fruit is approximately 1-1/2", ellipsoidal, in clusters of 3-12 with a dark brown husk and often 4-winged from apex to base. Bark is interlacing with scaly ridges separated by narrow fissures.