Hickory is very heavy, hard, elastic, and strong. It is the toughest and strongest American wood in common use. Machines, burns and steam bends well. Tree deciduous, wood ring porous. Annual growth rings distinct. Heartwood, light reddish brown, and sapwood white. The Hickorys and Pecans are of the walnut family and are so closely related that individual specimens of Hickory and Pecan cannot be identified with certainty. An inspector of the National Hardwood Lumber Association will not attempt to separate the two when mixed. Hickory timber is extremely valuable because of its toughness and elasticity. It is the hardest, heaviest and strongest American wood in common everyday use.