Species of hickory tree native to the central and southern United States and Mexico; cultivated elsewhere. Its reddish wood is used for interior millwork. The hulls are used to dye wool a dark brown or cotton a gray color using an alum mordant. Pecan hull dyes have fair colorfastness. Its nut is rich and distinctive in flavor and texture, having one of the highest fat contents of any vegetable product and a caloric value close to that of butter. Its production is the basis of a considerable industry in the southeastern United States.
