These are mostly large, native trees that are generally not used as new landscape plants. They are one of the trees that develops a true tap root which makes them difficult to transplant. Most of these trees grow to around 60 feet in height and can be rather messy since they drop twigs, leaves and fruit in the wind.

Hickories have monoecious flowers with the males borne in a drooping, 3 branched catkin while the female flowers are on terminal spikes. They open about the same time as the leaves develop in April to early May. The bony, hard-shelled nuts are borne inside a 4 valved husk. In October, they ripen and drop to the ground.