| Pecan trees, 'Carya illinoinensis,' grow in natural | | | | to plant. |
| groves in bottom lands near rivers or lakes with | | | | Despite the fact of the pecan tree's Southern |
| nearby periodic overflowing water. Archeological | | | | origin, the nut shows a surprisingly resilient |
| remains and fossil evidence reveals that pecans | | | | resistance to cold. The pecan tree will live through |
| were collected and stored by Indians, the original | | | | low temperatures of zero degrees Fahrenheit and |
| settlers and inhabitants of America, and the group | | | | other drastic, sudden weather changes. |
| now known as the "mound builders." American | | | | Pecan trees that produce superior nuts with |
| Indians followed this same example and were | | | | characteristics of large size, papershell, high kernel |
| actively gathering pecan nuts when the European | | | | quality, reliable production, and resistance to |
| colonists arrived. The pecan trees were found | | | | disease are grafted onto native (seedling) |
| growing in their northern limits along the tributaries | | | | understock to ultimately produce uniform crops of |
| of the Mississippi River near Louisville, Kentucky; | | | | harvested nuts in a cultivated orchard |
| Terra Haute, Indiana; and Clinton, Iowa, which is | | | | environment. Research has shown that the |
| located at the same latitude as Chicago, Illinois. | | | | understock can have a considerable influence on |
| Thomas Jefferson planted pecan trees, 'Carya | | | | the cultivar in terms of tree vigor. Most pecan |
| illinoinensis,' (Illinois nuts) in his nut orchard at his | | | | tree nurseries plant the seed of "Moore" or |
| beautiful home, Monticello, in Virginia; and George | | | | "Curtis" cultivars to produce a predictable, |
| Washington reported in his journal that Thomas | | | | balanced end-product, which has proven to be |
| Jefferson gave him "Illinois nuts;" pecans which | | | | satisfactory. Early American nurserymen found |
| grew at Mount Vernon, Virginia, George | | | | that pecan scions could be grafted onto the |
| Washington's home. The trees grew and remain | | | | rootstock of hickory and walnut trees, both of |
| majestic in height and spread proudly even today. | | | | which are closely related to pecan trees, but |
| He called agriculture "the noblest of occupations." | | | | these grafts were not satisfactory for |
| Pecan trees are native to the United States and | | | | orchardists-only to hobbyists. |
| are found growing naturally nowhere else in the | | | | Diseases of pecans over the years have caused |
| world. The range of native pecan trees are found | | | | the withdrawal of many of the original cultivars |
| growing along rivers in Texas and in surrounding | | | | from the market. First they seemed resistant to |
| lands of the lower Mississippi River up to Louisville, | | | | the notorious 'scab.' This infection causes black |
| Kentucky; Terra Haute, Indiana; and Clinton, Iowa, | | | | spots to appear on the leaves that can spread to |
| which is at the same latitude as Chicago, Illinois. | | | | the hulls of the nuts, and later in the growing |
| Native pecan trees are also found growing as far | | | | season can cause the premature blackening and |
| west as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. Nomadic | | | | drop of the nuts. Sometimes whole crops of nuts |
| tribes of Indians carried these nuts from their | | | | can be affected or lost during rainy summers and |
| native habitat into other areas of the United | | | | hurricane season unless the trees are sprayed |
| States and planted the nuts there as seed. Some | | | | often. Some insects can damage the quality of |
| of these trees have grown and survived as | | | | ripening nuts or even cause premature dropping; |
| 'Goliath' specimens, such as one seedling with a 7 | | | | however, many orchardists now control all |
| foot diameter trunk that is located at the TyTy, | | | | problems of pecan trees by periodic spraying and |
| Georgia, nursery farm. | | | | weed control. Zinc, manganese, magnesium, and |
| The shape of pecan nuts is highly variable; some | | | | boron deficient soils of the Southeast can be |
| are oval shaped and some are long and skinny. | | | | inexpensively controlled easily by soluble, small |
| The size of the nuts can be as small as a pencil | | | | applications of the elements. |
| eraser or as large as 1.5" inches in diameter to | | | | Land speculators of the 1920's planted thousands |
| over three inches long. The kernels can vary in | | | | of acres of pecan orchards in South Georgia, near |
| size within the hull; some filling out poorly or some | | | | Albany, with the idea of reaping huge profits from |
| not filling out at all. Some pecans have a kernel | | | | nut production. The trees were subjected to scab |
| density so compact that the shells can be broken | | | | infections, that seemed to have mutated and |
| while the nuts are still on the tree by the swelling | | | | preferentially attacked some cultivars and other |
| pressure that is generated from within, especially | | | | cultivars showed different stages of immunity to |
| after heavy rains at the end of the ripening | | | | the disease. New preventive sprays were not |
| season. | | | | available at that time to protect the pecan trees, |
| The thinness of the shells of pecans is an | | | | but many of those orchards have been revived |
| important characteristic in determining the value | | | | to produce profitable harvests by spraying |
| of pecans. The term 'papershell pecan' refers to | | | | programs or by topworking the trees to scab |
| the thinness that allows two nuts placed in the fist | | | | resistant cultivars. |
| to be easily cracked, usually producing 'perfect | | | | In Central Georgia, where peach production |
| halves.' This thinness of the shell occurs | | | | flourished for many years, many pecan trees |
| occasionally in the extreme-a pecan cultivar with | | | | were planted at large distances between the |
| such thinness of the shell that the nut can easily | | | | peach trees, because peach trees only have a life |
| be cracked between two fingers like a peanut. A | | | | expectancy of 10-15 years. The peach growers |
| disadvantage of this extreme thinness can occur | | | | hoped that when the peach orchards died out, |
| when hurricanes come up from the Gulf causing | | | | they would be replaced by mature pecan trees, 'in |
| long rainy periods. The kernels swell internally and | | | | situ,' which is exactly what happened. Central |
| the shells crack on the tree, providing an entry | | | | Georgia has become a major producer of high |
| point for disease that can lead to damage or crop | | | | quality papershell pecans as a result of the insight |
| loss. Some years hurricanes have struck crops in | | | | of the peach tree growers and their correct |
| September, before kernels of nuts have reached | | | | selection of new, superior pecan tree cultivars. |
| full maturity and immature nuts covered by green | | | | Pecan nuts were reported to contain higher |
| shucks were blown onto the ground, sometimes | | | | antioxidants than any other nuts, followed by |
| creating a layer several inches thick. These nuts | | | | walnuts and hazelnuts (filberts) in the June 9, |
| are not worth saving, unless they fully mature on | | | | 2004, issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food |
| the pecan tree to the point beyond the shucks | | | | Chemistry. Antioxidants help to prevent, repair, |
| turning a deep brown or black color. | | | | and reduce oxidative stress a mechanism that |
| Pollination is not an important factor for pecan | | | | interferes in healthy body functions by damaging |
| trees in most of the South and in areas where | | | | cells that can lead to the formation of cancer, |
| the pecan trees are native. The reason for this is | | | | heart disease, Alzheimer's Disease, and Parkinson's |
| that pecan trees are wind pollinated and pollen | | | | Disease. |
| from a tree ten miles away can be pollinated if | | | | Dr. Jose Pena, extension economist in Uvalde, |
| wind currents are favorable to transfer the pollen | | | | Texas, stated that "consumers prefer pecans |
| from one tree to the other. Some trees are | | | | over walnuts and almonds," even though they are |
| self-pollinating, such as the 'Desirable' cultivar of | | | | purchased at a higher price. The U.S. Department |
| pecan, because the pollen and the female flowers | | | | of Agriculture recommends that citizens should |
| both mature near the same time. Other pecan | | | | eat 3 to 5 servings of nuts each day to maintain |
| cultivars have pollen that matures too soon or | | | | a healthy diet. "Just a handful of pecans offers |
| too late to be effective in pollination of the female | | | | Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, |
| flowers. There are enough pecan trees in most | | | | fiber, and more antioxidants than any other nut." |
| naturalized areas of the pecan zones to provide | | | | Pecans have a very high concentration of Vitamin |
| adequate cross-pollination; however, the 'Desirable' | | | | A that protects teeth, eyes, and bones, as well |
| pecan is generally considered to be the best | | | | as benefiting general health. Because of recent |
| all-around pollinator, and most orchardists plant one | | | | interest in nuts as a healthy food, sales of pecans |
| of these pollinator trees at each end of the pecan | | | | and other nuts have skyrocketed. Pecans offer a |
| orchard to ensure complete pollination. In Northern | | | | delicious, healthy nut to world markets with |
| and far Western areas of the United States, it is | | | | profitable financial rewards to those who choose |
| suggested that a pecan tree buyer get the best | | | | to plant and market the product. |
| information possible before deciding which cultivars | | | | |