Summary ¹²

The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to the southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. The tree is cultivated for its seed in the southern United States, primarily in Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico, which produces nearly half of the world total. The seed is an edible nut used as a snack and in various recipes, such as praline candy and pecan pie. The pecan, in various aspects, is included in state symbols of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Description ¹³

The pecan tree is a large deciduous tree, growing to 20–40 m (66–131 ft) in height, rarely to 44 m (144 ft). It typically has a spread of 12–23 m (39–75 ft) with a trunk up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) diameter. A 10-year-old sapling grown in optimal conditions will stand about 5 m (16 ft) tall. The leaves are alternate, 30–45 cm (12–18 in) long, and pinnate with 9–17 leaflets, each leaflet 5–12 cm (2–4.5 in) long and 2–6 cm (1–2.5 in) broad.

A pecan, like the fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, is not truly a nut, but is technically a drupe, a fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk. The husks are produced from the exocarp tissue of the flower, while the part known as the nut develops from the endocarp and contains the seed. The husk itself is aeneous, that is, brassy greenish-gold in color, oval to oblong in shape, 2.6–6 cm (1–2+3⁄8 in) long and 1.5–3 cm (5⁄8–1+1⁄8 in) broad. The outer husk is 3–4 mm (1⁄8–5⁄32 in) thick, starts out green and turns brown at maturity, at which time it splits off in four sections to release the thin-shelled seed.

Name ¹⁴

"Pecan" is from an Algonquin word variously referring to pecans, walnuts, and hickory nuts. There are many variant pronunciations, some regional and others not. The most common American pronunciation is /pɪˈkɑːn/. There is little agreement in the United States, even regionally, as to the "correct" pronunciation.

Read More ¹⁵

• https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a852
• https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/pecan.htm
• https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=cail2

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carya_illinoinensis_kz1.jpg
2. (c) Tony Rodd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/8108294@N05/4394909014
3. (c) JMK, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carya_illinoinensis,_habitus,_Manie_van_der_Schijff_BT.jpg
4. (c) James St. John, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carya_illinoinensis_(pecan_tree)_3_(27881077489).jpg
5. Keithimus, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EvermanPark.JPG
6. (c) Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr-110209-0960-Carya_illinoinensis-habit_fall_colors-MISC_Piiholo-Maui_(24444394604).jpg
7. USCapitol, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pecan_(Carya_illinionsis)_(29016188701).jpg
8. (c) Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, USA, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carya_illinoinensis_catkins.jpg
9. (c) Emőke Dénes, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fagales_-_Carya_illinoinensis_-_3.jpg
10. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2_pecan_nut_halves.jpg
11. (c) James St. John, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carya_illinoinensis_(pecan_tree)_4_(38950710384).jpg
12. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carya_illinoinensis
13. Adapted by Murfreesboro,TN, Natural Resource Division from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecan
14. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecan
15. (c) Murfreesboro,TN, Natural Resource Division, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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