Pecan, << pih KAHN or PEE kan, >> a tree native to North America, is valuable for its fruit, the pecan nut. The pecan is a type of hickory. It grows naturally in the Mississippi Valley region from Iowa southward, and in the river valleys of Oklahoma, Texas, and northern Mexico. But pecan orchards are planted throughout the Southern United States as far north as Virginia, and in California. In addition, a small number of pecans are grown commercially in Australia, South Africa, and the Middle East.
Pecan raising is an important U.S. industry, especially in the South. Pecan orchards produce about 250 million pounds (113 million kilograms) of nuts in an average year. About four-fifths of them are marketed as shelled nuts. Some pecan trees produce up to 500 pounds (230 kilograms) of nuts each year. But the trees do not bear nuts until they are about five or six years old. For another five years, they do not bear enough nuts to be profitable. Only after the trees are about 20 years old does the owner receive full return on the investment. Although the pecan is chiefly grown for its fruit, its wood is valuable for flooring, furniture, and paneling.
Pecan trees may grow 180 feet (55 meters) high. Their trunks are sometimes 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) in diameter near the ground, but most trees are smaller. The light brown or gray bark of pecan trees is deeply furrowed. The leaves are 12 to 20 inches (30 to 51 centimeters) long. They are made up of from 9 to 17 lance-shaped leaflets.
Pecan orchard trees are usually grown by grafting branch buds from trees that bear fine quality nuts on seedling stocks. In addition, pecan growers may manage and harvest nuts from groves of wild pecan trees. Pecan flowers are pollinated by the wind. However, most varieties of pecan trees are not pollinated by their own kind. For this reason, pecan orchards usually contain several different kinds of pecan trees. The thin-shelled pecans, which are called papershell, are a popular type because their shells can be cracked between the fingers.
Growers harvest the pecans after they fall to the ground. The nuts may fall naturally or be shaken off the trees using mechanical shakers. They are taken to processing centers where they are cleaned, graded, and packaged. The shelled nuts are cracked and most often sorted by machines.
