Bark light brown, becoming fissured into long platelike scales on older trunks and branches. Twigs slender, dark brown. The single terminal bud is brown, usually hairy, narrow, with paired scales not overlapping.
Flowers catkins appearing in the early spring.
The species is native to the Coastal Plain of southeastern United States. The nuts of all the hickories are important food for wildlife, especially squirrels. The seeds of eater hickory are bitter and are not eaten by people.