Pecan

Basic Information

Order

Fagales

Family

Juglandaceae

Size

60 - 140 ft

Leaf Color

Green, Yellow Fall Foliage

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Complexity

Pinnate

Leaf Shape

Lanceolate

Blooming Season

Spring

Bloom Color

Yellow

Attracts

Wildlife, Butterflies

Can I eat Pecan?

Pecans are delicious and nutritious!

Pecan Habitat

Pecan trees (Carya illinoinensis) are common in the southeast along streams or in moist forests. It does best in wet, well draining soils.

Pecan Facts

Pecan trees (Carya illinoinensis) are the largest of the hickory species. They have slate gray smooth bark, massive trunks, sweet edible nuts and often soar more than 150 feet. Pecan is a Native American word meaning “nut requiring stone to crack.” Pecan trees are grown as a crop today, but wild pecans are still common within its native range. Thomas Jefferson planted pecans at his home in Monticello, and gave some seeds to George Washington. Those trees are now the oldest trees standing at Washington’s home Mount Vernon. In the wild pecans are an important source of food for birds and other mammals. Its massive branches also provide habitat for songbirds.

Pecan Distribution