Hickory is a type of North American hardwood tree known for its incredibly strong, dense wood and its edible nuts. The wood is so tough and shock-resistant that it became the go-to material for tool handles, baseball bats, and wagon wheels before modern materials existed. When you swing an old-fashioned axe or a wooden baseball bat, there's a good chance you're holding hickory.

The tree produces hickory nuts in the fall, which have a sweet, rich flavor similar to pecans (pecans actually come from a type of hickory tree). Native Americans relied on hickory nuts as an important food source, and early American settlers learned to value them too. The nuts have extremely hard shells that require serious effort to crack open, but the reward inside is worth it.

Hickory wood also burns hot and slow, making it prized for smoking meat. That delicious flavor in barbecued ribs or smoked bacon can come from hickory smoke. The phrase tough as hickory became a compliment for people who could endure hardship, and President Andrew Jackson earned the nickname “Old Hickory” for his toughness and stubborn determination.