Bark hard, light gray-brown, becoming shallowly furrowed into narrow forking ridges on older trunks and branches. Twigs slender, glabrous, reddish brown. The single terminal bud is bright yellow, narrow and flattened, with paired scales not overlapping.
Flowers catkins appearing in the early spring.
The species is native to much of the eastern United States. The nuts of all the hickories are important food for wildlife, especially squirrels. The seeds of bitternut are bitter and are not eaten by people.