Varieties/Sizes

PECANS

Latin Name: Carya Illinoinenis

Family: Juglandaceae

Discovery: The Pecan is native to North America. Its history can be traced back to the 16^th Century, when they were widely used by pre-colonial residents. The name ‘Pecan’ itself is a word of Algonquian origin and was used to describe all units requiring a stone to crack and a Natchez Indian word for the Pecan Plant. Most plantations nowadays are situated in the southwestern and southeastern part of North America.

Height: A Pecan tree can reach a height of up to 50 m with a maximum trunk diameter of 2 m. However, most trees only reach a max of 30 m, with a diameter of 1,5 m and a limb spread of 30 m.

Nut production: The Pecan tree begins to bear fruit after 5-8 years, depending on the type of tree.

The Fruit: There are more than 500 varieties of Pecan which have been discovered. Each bearing different sizes of fruit (between 60 mm to 5 cm). As well as this, the shell shape and colour differs in each variety. The Pecan fruit is a drupe 2,5 to 7,5 cm long. The nut which lies inside, is oblong in shape.

Harvest and processing: Pecans are mature and ready to harvest once the shuck begins to open. The tree is shaken mechanically to get the nuts down. It takes about 15 seconds of shaking before all the nuts are on the floor. They are then picked up, cracked and shelled. The kernel moisture is reduced to about 4% to obtain high quality products.

Nutritional information: