A deciduous hardwood tree up to 100 feet tall with rough furrowed bark. The alternate, pinnately, compounded leaves have a distinctive odor when bruised. Male and female flowers grow in separate catkins. The nut, is covered with a green pulp coating while on the tree, turning black when it has fallen on the ground or stored. Found in moist well-drained soil throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The sweet nuts are enjoyed raw and in a variety of dishes. It is a anti-fungal, tonic, and vermifuge. The inner bark of the tree is a mild laxative. The peel of the fruit is historically useful for treating parasites, worms in the body, ulcers and syphilis. Juice of the fruit is useful for treating tapeworm, a laxative and as a gargle. Leaf infusion was used against bed-bugs. A decoction of the bark is used for sores, herpes, eczema, syphilis, worms and skin diseases. The oil is effective for tapeworm, a dressing for leprosy type skin diseases (must be fresh, rancid oil is detrimental).