Pecan

Native to the southern United States and northern Mexico.

• Found from Iowa and Indiana south to Texas and Alabama, west to New Mexico, and south into central Mexico
• Most abundant in the Mississippi River Valley from southern Illinois to the Gulf Coast
• The name "pecan" comes from the Algonquin word "pacane," meaning "a nut requiring a stone to crack"
• Native American peoples relied on pecans as a major food source for thousands of years
• French and Spanish explorers encountered vast natural pecan groves along the Mississippi River
• Thomas Jefferson planted pecan trees at Monticello and gave seeds to George Washington
• The first commercial pecan orchard was planted in Texas in the 1880s
• Today, the United States produces over 80% of the world's pecan supply
• Georgia is the leading pecan-producing state, followed by Texas and New Mexico
• The species name "illinoinensis" refers to Illinois, where early specimens were collected

A large, graceful deciduous tree with a narrow to broadly spreading crown.

Bark:
• Gray-brown, developing narrow, irregular ridges and shallow fissures with age
• Somewhat shaggy in old trees but not as pronounced as Shagbark Hickory

Leaves:
• Alternate, pinnately compound, 30 to 50 cm long with 9 to 17 leaflets
• Leaflets lanceolate, 7 to 15 cm long, finely serrated, falcate (curved)
• Dark green above, paler beneath, turning golden-yellow in autumn

Flowers:
• Monoecious — male and female flowers on the same tree
• Male flowers in dangling yellow-green catkins, 5 to 12 cm long
• Female flowers in small terminal spikes of 3 to 6
• Wind-pollinated in mid-spring
• Most cultivars require cross-pollination for good nut production

Fruit:
• Oblong nuts (pecans), 2.5 to 5 cm long
• Enclosed in a thin, green, four-valved husk that splits open when ripe
• Shell is thin and relatively easy to crack compared to other hickory nuts
• Kernel is sweet, buttery, and rich in oil — the most prized commercial nut in the hickory family
• Nuts ripen in October to November

Form:
• 20 to 40 meters tall with trunk diameter 60 to 120 cm
• Crown narrow and upright when young, spreading with age
• Straight, central trunk with ascending branches

The Pecan is an ecologically important component of southern North American river ecosystems.

Habitat:
• Naturally found in rich, moist, well-drained alluvial soils along rivers and streams
• The dominant tree in natural pecan groves ("pecan bottoms") along southern rivers
• Prefers deep, fertile, slightly acidic to neutral soils
• Tolerant of seasonal flooding
• Requires a long, warm growing season for nut production

Ecological interactions:
• Nuts are a critical food for wildlife including squirrels, deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, crows, and blue jays
• Squirrels are the primary agents of natural seed dispersal and planting
• Supports numerous insect species including pecan weevils, casebearers, and aphids
• Host plant for Hickory Horned Devil (regal moth caterpillar), the largest caterpillar in North America
• Deep taproot makes it very wind-resistant

Growth:
• Fast-growing in youth, adding 60 to 90 cm per year
• Very long-lived — trees commonly produce nuts for 100 to 300+ years
• Begins nut production at 5 to 8 years from seed (3 to 5 years from grafted trees)
• Full production at 10 to 15 years, continuing for over a century
• Deep taproot system provides exceptional drought resistance

A major commercial nut tree requiring careful site selection and patience.

Site selection:
• Full sun
• Deep, fertile, well-drained loamy soils
• Requires at least 180 to 210 frost-free days for nut maturation
• Space 10 to 15 meters apart for orchard plantings
• Plant at least two cultivars with overlapping pollen shed for cross-pollination

Planting:
• Plant grafted, named cultivars for reliable nut quality and production
• Popular cultivars: Desirable, Stuart, Pawnee, Wichita, Western Schley
• Plant bare-root trees in late winter or early spring while dormant
• Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root system without circling

Care:
• Water deeply during nut development in summer — drought causes poor nut fill
• Fertilize with nitrogen in early spring
• Prune to develop a strong central leader when young
• Monitor for pecan weevil, casebearer, and scab disease
• Harvest nuts in autumn when husks split
• Hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9

The Pecan is one of the most commercially important nut crops in the world.

Nut production:
• United States produces approximately 250 to 300 million pounds of pecans annually
• Pecans are a $500+ million industry in the United States
• Used in pies, pralines, cookies, cakes, ice cream, and as a standalone snack nut
• Pecan pie is an iconic American dessert, especially associated with the South
• Pecan oil is a gourmet cooking oil with a neutral, buttery flavor

Nutritional value:
• Rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, protein, fiber, and antioxidants
• Highest antioxidant content of any commercial nut
• Good source of manganese, copper, thiamine, and zinc

Timber:
• Wood is hard, heavy, and tough — similar to other hickories
• Used for furniture, flooring, tool handles, and smoking meats
• Less commercially valuable than the nuts

Ornamental:
• Handsome shade tree for large landscapes in warm climates
• Golden-yellow fall color
• Deep roots make it a good lawn tree once established