hickory

Any of about 18 species of deciduous timber and nut-producing trees that make up the genus Carya, in the walnut family. About 15 species are native to eastern North America and 3 to eastern Asia. The fruit is an egg-shaped nut enclosed in a fleshy husk. Some species—principally shagbark hickory (C. ovata), shellbark hickory (C. laciniosa), mockernut hickory (C. tomentosa), and pecan—produce large, sweet-tasting, edible nuts. The pecan, the most valuable species economically, is cultivated for its flavourful nuts and its light-coloured wood. The wood of other hickories is used as fuel and for tool handles, sports equipment, furniture, and flooring.