4 Interesting Facts About Pecan Trees

Did you know that more than 80% of the world’s pecans are grown in the United States? At Plant Me Green, pecan trees are one of our top sellers and not only because they produce delicious nuts. These beautiful trees enhance the look of just about any yard, although they typically are best suited to larger properties as many varieties grow quite large. If you are interested in pecan trees, you also might be interested in a few of these fun facts: 

1. The Nuts From Pecan Trees Aren’t Truly Nuts 

While we certainly think of pecans as nuts, they actually are drupes. A drupe, sometimes called a stone fruit, is a bit different from a nut. A drupe is a fruit that has fleshy outer part with a shell or pit inside. Inside that pit, there is a seed and that is actually what we eat when we munch on pecans as well as walnuts and almonds. Of course, peaches and plums also are drupes, but we only eat the outside of this type of drupe. Nuts, on the other hand are seeds within a hard pod, and there is no fleshy outer layer or section. Chestnuts and acorns are true nuts. 

2. Your Pecan Tree Is Good For Your Health 

We believe that a beautiful yard filled with trees definitely can add to your happiness, but beyond the beauty of the pecan trees, the pecans themselves have several health benefits. For instance, pecans are fiber rich, and a diet high in fiber has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and improves your gastrointestinal or digestive health. Pecans are rich in phosphorous and this helps keep bones and teeth healthy. This special drupe also contains large amounts of magnesium which can help lower your blood pressure. These are just a few benefits you’ll enjoy once your pecan trees begin producing pecans. 

3. Pecan Trees Are Known For Longevity 

While pecan trees might not live as long as the Giant Redwoods, they have been known to live more than 300 years, and it is said that some of the pecan trees in the Mississippi Delta might even be 1,000 years old. At George Washington’s home Mount Vernon, the grounds still feature pecan trees planted during his lifetime that are still going strong.  In fact, they are the oldest living trees on the property, and the seeds of these trees may have been provided to Washington by Thomas Jefferson. 

4. Pecans Are A Versatile Food 

When you think about pecan trees and eating pecans, your first thought might be about pecan pie. While this is certainly a scrumptious way to use your bounty of pecans, this drupe is quite versatile and excellent in all types of baked goods, such as cookies and sweet breads. You can mix it into your Thanksgiving stuffing or perhaps chicken salad for a bit of crunch. You can even use it to make pecan butter. Simply soak your pecans or roast them and then blend with a bit of a complementary oil in a food processor. You can add a pinch of sea salt if you like or even a splash of maple syrup or honey. These are just a few ways to enjoy the pecans from your pecan trees. 

This is the ideal time of year to purchase your pecan trees, and we are now taking pre-orders for bare root pecan trees for the 2015-2016 growing season. Bare root pecan trees are quite popular and we sell many varieties. A bare root tree is a dormant plant with exposed roots. These typically should be planted during the dormant season, which tends to run from about mid-December to early spring. We begin shipping out bare root pecan in December. 

If you aren’t certain which type of pecan tree to select or how to plant or care for your pecan trees, we have several helpful aids on our website. On our homepage, click on the Plant Info tab and you will see information about pecan trees as well as crape myrtles, apple trees, pear trees and blueberries. In addition, if you are seeking information about plant hardiness zones, these are located under our Green 101 tab. Of course, you can always contact us by phone or email with any questions that you may have.