The pecan nut is one of the most popular nuts worldwide, but its tree is not as well known. He pecan tree is the pecan, a curious and beautiful variety that you will surely like to discover.
Let's see its main characteristics and what care this species needs. Whether you like walnuts or not, we are clear that what you will like is knowing more about the tree they come from.
Pecano, the pecan tree
The Carya illinoinensis or pecan is a tree native to North America, from the southern region of the United States and northern Mexico. It is a deciduous variety that belongs to the Juglandaceae family.
Although this is no longer the case, it is believed that originally stretched from the Mississippi River Valley to Texas and Oklahoma, as well as to the eastern and southwestern United States.
It is a tree that grows well in deep, well-drained soils. If possible, near river valleys and riparian areas. It is a species accustomed to a temperate climate, and requires a significant amount of water to grow and bear fruit.
Pecan Characteristics
Resolved the question about where comes the pecan tree, It is time to analyze its most outstanding physical characteristics. Those that allow us to differentiate it from any other tree.
Size
Pecans are medium to large sized trees. Depending on the conditions to which they are exposed, they can reach between 20 and 40 meters in length. However, when pecan is grown for commercial purposes, The aim is to ensure that it does not become so large, so that maintaining it and harvesting the harvest is not complicated.
Trunk
The trunk of this tree has a straight and cylindrical shape, with a particular bark that is rough and fissured. As it ages, the bark becomes increasingly rougher.
Being a large tree, its trunk is also thick, and can be up to one meter in diameter in older specimens.
blade type
The pecan is a deciduous tree, so it loses all of its foliage throughout the fall. The leaves are alternate, compound, and shiny dark green, although with the arrival of the cold they turn yellow before falling.
Each sheet is It consists of several elongated and lanceolate leaflets, and its margins are toothed.
Flowers
The pecan blooms in spring, and it does so with small, unisexual flowers that appear in catkins (a type of articulated spike) at the end of the branches. lThe male flowers are grouped in elongated catkins and pendulous, while the female flowers are grouped in shorter and more compact catkins.
Fruits
Since we are talking about the pecan tree, it is clear what its fruit is. Are nuts They are generated within oval drupes with a hard, rough shell that divides into four segments when ripe.
In reality, what we consume is not the nut itself, but the seed that is within it. Which stands out for its sweet and unctuous flavor.
Roots
Although we cannot see them with the naked eye, roots penetrate deep into the soil, allowing you to access water and nutrients in the deeper layers of the soil. This makes this tree a very resistant variety.
Pecan Tree Care
Despite being a fairly robust species, this tree needs a few specific care to grow healthily.
Location and ground
The pecan should be planted in a place where the soil has a good depth. Because we have already seen that its roots grow downwards to reach the deepest layers. As far as possible, it should be a soil with good drainage capacity and a slightly acidic pH.
As far as location is concerned, the pecan tree develops best if exposed to many hours of full sun.
Irrigation
Getting a tree to adapt to the terrain is a long and sometimes complex process. To ensure that the pecan develops its roots well, during the first years it is important that the soil around it is keep moist, but never waterlogged.
Once it is established, your need for water decreases, but this is not a tree that tolerates drought well. You have to water regularly, especially during the summer, when the nuts are forming.
Fertilization
Applying a fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and manganese helps reinforce the health of the tree and increases its nut production. For a good result, We are going to apply the fertilizer regularly throughout the growing season, which extends throughout spring and summer.
Pecan Tree Pruning
Pruning is done in spring or early summer. If we do it in autumn or winter There is a greater chance that the tree will be damaged.
Through pruning we shape the crown, but it also helps us to eliminate dead or damaged branches, and to promote healthy growth.
Weed control
Keep the area around the tree free of weeds so that it does not have competition for access to water and nutrients from the soil. This will be easier if you apply organic mulch around its base.
Harvest
If you take good care of your tree, you will have an interesting harvest of pecans. These are collected as they mature, and you may need a stick or a mechanical harvester to reach the nuts that appear at the highest part of the tree.
The pecan tree is resistant and beautiful, in addition to providing us with delicious food with good nutritional properties. If you give it the basic care that we have seen, We guarantee that you will have a spectacular tree and an abundant harvest. Do you dare to put it in your garden or orchard?