Fruit: Spherical to pear-shaped, up to 1 inch long, not quite as broad, the husks thin, greenish, usually not splitting all the way to the base, the nut somewhat compressed and with a very hard shell, the seed sweet. Occasional trees have fruits up to 2 inches long.
Wood: Heavy, strong, hard, brown.
Uses: Fuel, fence posts, tool handles.
Habitat: Wooded slopes and ridges.
Range: Vermont across to southern Michigan and northern Illinois, south across Missouri to eastern Texas, east to central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Pignut Hickory is best recognized by its rather small leaflets which usually are five in number, the tight bark, and the characteristic pear-shaped fruits.
PECAN
Carya illinoensis (Wang.) K. Koch
Growth Form: Large tree up to 150 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown widely spreading and rounded; trunk rather short, stout, straight.
Bark: Reddish-brown, becoming roughened into platy scales.