Carya illinoinensis, Pecan

By Ciera Anderson

Carya illinoinensis, or Pecan is a well known tree native to East Texas. These trees are extremely popular around the United States due to their many cultivars and modifications that make their fruit delicious. Belonging to the Juglandaceae (Walnut) family, Pecan can grow to enormous widths and heights( Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 2015). There are many benefits that Carya illinoinensis provides like a sturdy shade tree, strong wood for flooring or furniture, and delicious pecan nuts used in numerous recipes. (PreservationTree, 2014) Carya illinoinensis is all around us; it even makes up the majority of trees in Pecan Park on Star Avenue in Nacogdoches!

Carya illinoinensis has been used all the way back in the 16th century. American colonists quickly caught onto the value of these fruit bearing trees; and began planting vast pecan orchards, which rewarded huge yields.(U.S. Pecan Growers Council) In the 1800’s, Abner Landrum used grafting to join together pecan varieties to create superior cultivars(U.S. Pecan Growers Council). With many others following in his footsteps, there are now more than 1,000 varieties of pecans. Within these varieties, the produced nuts of each cultivar have a distinct trait that makes them stand out from the rest. Flavors, size, shape, and smell of the produced pecans were all influenced in this process. (U.S. Pecan Growers Council)

Before you decide to orchestrate a mass producing Pecan orchard there are many things you must consider before planting. Carya illinoinensis takes many years to start producing fruit from 5 to 15 years depending on if it was started from seed or grafted (PreservationTree, 2014). They require high amounts of sunlight and water with rich, well draining soil.  An important micronutrient for fruit production is zinc(Bloodnick, 2020). It provides many enzymes and proteins needed for synthesis. (Bloodnick, 2020).  Pecans also demand a large, open area for new growth. Once the tree is well established, it can live for decades, some even up to 300 years (PreservationTree, 2014)! These trees are the one of the largest nut trees, growing up to 100 feet tall. Carya illinoinensis can develop a large 6 ft. trunk, and has a large spreading canopy. They have an odd pinnately compound leaf which is dark green, with a strong midrib that is a slightly lighter olive shade (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 2015).They also have an alternate leaf pattern and are monoecious which is handy for reproduction.

Pecan trees provide so many uses for a range of people. For a common home gardener, you can use the nuts of Carya illinoinensis for your own cooking interests or as an attraction for wildlife. The hulls of the fruit can be used as mulch, and since they are slightly acidic, many plants benefit from this. With all this diversity, who wouldn't admire this magnificent giant.