The winter bud is an outstanding identification feature. This tree is more closely related to pecan than to shagbark hickory. The leaves are alternate and odd-pinnately compound. Leaf scars are large and broad. The flowers, like those of all the hickories, are of two kinds on the same tree.
Male catkins are conspicuous, while the female flowers are small and easily overlooked.
The nut itself usually has a thin shell that is brittle. The kernel is very bitter and not considered edible. The wood is hard, strong, and heavy. The pignut hickory is a medium to large, upland tree occurring plentifully in all parts of the state. It has a tapering trunk and a narrow, oval head.