Four 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 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.