Pecan

Arbor walk #54, TreeKeeper ID #1424

This Missouri native tree is predominantly found in the Mississippi River Valley, and in the American South where it is cultivated as an important commercial nut crop. The name “pecan” is an Algonquian Native American word, describing “nuts requiring a stone to crack.” The female flowers of the Pecan tree take about 8 years to mature and bear fruit. The state tree of Texas, a single pecan tree can live up to 300 years old and produces an average of 70-150 lbs. of pecans a year. Although enjoyed as a snack, pecans are important for wildlife as well; many animals such as birds, deer and squirrels rely on pecans as a food source. 

Common NamePecan
Latin NameCarya illinoinensis
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