pecan
Carya illinoinensis
The pecan is the only nut tree native to North America, and its name comes from an Algonquian word meaning 'a nut requiring a stone to crack'.
- Scientific name
- Carya illinoinensis
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fagales › Juglandaceae › Carya
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Riparian zones, river valleys, floodplains, and rich, well-drained mesic forests.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis utilizing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide).
- Range
- United States, Mexico
- Size
- Height: 20 to 40 meters (70-130 ft), Canopy spread: up to 23 meters.
- Lifespan
- Up to 300 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Over-exploitation, habitat fragmentation, pecan scab fungus, and invasive pests like the pecan weevil.
- Safe to approach?
- Entirely harmless and welcoming. You can freely approach, rest under its shade, or forage for fallen nuts in autumn. Watch for falling limbs during high winds, and do not peel or damage the bark.
The pecan ( Carya illinoinensis ) is a species of hickory native to Mexico and the southcentral and southeastern regions of the United States.
Photo: Eran Finkle, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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