Pecan

The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to the Southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. Originally native to the south-central U.S., the tree is cultivated for its seed primarily in the U.S. states of Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and in Mexico. The seed is an edible nut used as a snack and in various recipes, such as praline candy and pecan pie. The pecan is the state nut of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Texas, and Louisiana, and is also the state tree of Texas.

The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to the Southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. Originally native to the south-central U.S., the tree is cultivated for its seed primarily in the U.S. states of Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and in Mexico. The seed is an edible nut used as a snack and in various recipes, such as praline candy and pecan pie. The pecan is the state nut of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Texas, and Louisiana, and is also the state tree of Texas.

Name

The word " " derives from the Algonquian languages variously referring to pecans, walnuts, and hickory nuts. There are many pronunciations, some regional and others not. There is little agreement in the United States regarding the "correct" pronunciation, even regionally. In 1927, the National Pecan Growers Association acknowledged variant pronunciations while designating one as official and correct: "pronounced as though spelled pea-con ... those in the habit of using any other pronunciation therefore be requested henceforth to adopt exclusively the pronunciation above specified above and hereby adopted by the Association."

Distribution and habitat

Pecan trees are native to the south-central U.S., but have spread due to cultivation. C. illinoinensis is found in bottomlands, suburban woodlands, disturbed areas, and along forest edges; it commonly naturalizes near where cultivated trees are located. C. illinoinensis grows on soils that are not subject to frequent flooding, preferring moist, well-drained, rich soils.

Uses

Pecan seeds are edible, with a rich, buttery flavor. They can be eaten fresh or roasted, or used in cooking, particularly in sweet desserts, such as pecan pie, a traditional Southern U.S. dish. Butter pecan is also a common flavor in cookies, cakes, and ice creams. Pecans are a significant ingredient in American praline candy. Other applications of cooking with pecans include pecan oil and pecan butter. Pecan wood is used in making furniture and wood flooring, as well as flavoring fuel for smoking meats, giving grilled foods a sweet and nutty flavor stronger than many fruit woods.

Genetics

Pecan is a 32-chromosome species (1N = 16) that readily hybridizes with other 32-chromosome members of the Carya genus, such as Carya ovata, Carya laciniosa, Carya cordiformis and has been reported to hybridize with 64-chromosome species such as Carya tomentosa. Most such hybrids are unproductive. Hybrids are referred to as "hicans" to indicate their hybrid origin. Recent efforts at NMSU to complete a pecan genome showed that DNA introgressed from C. aquatica (water hickory), C. myristiciformis (nutmeg hickory), and C. cordiformis (bitternut hickory) is present in commercial pecan varieties grown today.

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Notes

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369467020 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.