Pecan

Scientific name: Carya illinoinensis
Common name: Pecan
It belongs to the Juglandaceae. It originates in the Mississipi River areaa, was imported to Europe in the 19th century, and is now also cultivated in southern Italy and Spain. It is a deciduous tree that grows to 20-25m, but can reach 40 meters. It grows fast early in its life, but enters a good productive regime after about 10-12 years. We forgive it because it can produce nuts for almost 200 years! Its deep green, elongated leaves fall in winter, given the deciduous nature of the tree. The pecan, like the fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, is not a true nut, but is a drupe, a fruit with a single seed or kernel surrounded by a shell. It fully ripens in October, later than Italian walnuts. The easiest way to harvest pecans is to wait for them to fall to the ground.

Texas national tree for more than a century, the pecan has been an integral part of the nation’s culture. The nut is used in a variety of recipes, to the point of deserving a new invention: butter pecan-flavored ice cream. The largest producers of pecans are the U.S. and Mexico, which together account for nearly 90% of the world’s quantity, but small crops have recently been found in Italy, mainly in Sicily.

Perhaps less well known for its lumber, which is useful for making furniture, paneling and flooring, the Pecan knows its fame from its nuts…or rather, drupes. From the famous pecan pie to cookies, the nuts also find wide use in savory recipes, such as stuffed mushrooms and baked potatoes. Consumption of these seeds can help reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Because they are antioxidants, they also protect the cardiovascular system.