Under a forest canopy, it develops a long branch-free trunk with little taper, and a short rounded crown of slender ascending branches that broaden the crown toward the top. The branchlets are sparse and tend to droop slightly from the main ascending branches. Bitternut hickory seed is estimated to be from 75 to 85 percent viable.
Germination is hypogeal.
In the south, bitternut is more restricted to moist sites than in the north. In the southwestern parts of its range, bitternut hickory is common on poor, dry, gravelly upland soils. Principle tree assoicates are listed under Distribution and Occurrence. Top dieback and resprouting may occur frequently with each successive shoot attaining a larger size and developing a stronger root system than its predecessor.