Pecan

Carya Illioensis

By Alex Neumann

ClassificationPecan Tree

Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koco

Kingdom Plantea Plant

Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular Plant

Superdivision Spermatophyta Seed Plants

Division Magnoliophyta Flowering Plants

Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelididae

Order Juglandales

Family Juglandaceae Walnut family

Genus Carya Nutt. Hickory

Species Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koco

Pecan

Figure 1: Classification of the Pecan Tree

Shape, Form, and Type

• The Pecan tree has a large trunk, about three feet around.

• It is a relatively large tree growing up to about one hundred feet.

• The tree’s crown is round, made up of a jumble of massive branches.

Figure 2: Picture of a Pecan Tree

Bark

• The bark of this tree ranges from light brown to gray colored.

• The trunk is intensely grooved in a random irregular way.

• The bark is also somewhat scaled.

Figure 3: Picture of the bark of a Pecan Tree

Twig

• This tree’s twigs are somewhat stout or thick.

• They are a light brown color

• Also, the twigs are also somewhat fuzzy, but they lose some of their fuzz as they age. Figure 4: Picture of the twig of a Pecan

Tree

Leaf Description

• The leaves are pinnately compounded and are twelve to twenty inches long.

• They have a long, pointed tip, and teeth. (somewhat resembling a sickle)

• The leaves are yellowish green on the top and a little bit lighter underneath.

Figure 5: Picture of the leaf of a Pecan Tree

Bud, Fruit, and Flower

• Buds: these trees have terminal buds ranging in size from one-fourth to one-half inch long.

• The buds are yellowish brown to brown, and they are quite hairy.

• Fruit: the fruit(pecans) are big and oval shaped usually occurring in clusters.

• They are brown and black and also hairy on the shell. • Flowers: the male flowers hang in bunches of four or

five while the females are just in groups of two or three. • Both flowers are yellowish green in color, and

Bud, Fruit, and Flower Pictures

Figure 6: Buds of a Pecan Tree

Figure 7: Fruit of a Pecan TreeFigure 8: Flowers of a Pecan Tree

Habitat and Range

• Pecan Trees are normally found near rivers or in valleys

• These trees like soil that is very moist, but also well drained.

• Pecan trees can be found anywhere from Iowa, over to Indiana, down through Louisiana, and Texas.

• These trees are also found in parts of Mexico.

Figure 9: Graph of the range of Pecan trees in the United States.

Uses

• This tree is mainly used for it’s fruit, the Pecan.

• It can also be used to make a variety of furniture and flooring

• The Pecan Tree is also sometimes used to smoke meats.

Figure 10: Picture of the pecan, a valuable product of

the Pecan Tree

Citations• Shape, Form, and Type:Society, N. A. (1980).Walnut Family. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E:

Eastern Region (Eastern) (Chanticleer Press Ed ed., p. 348-349). New York: Knopf.• Bark:Society, N. A. (1980). Walnut Family. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E:

Eastern Region (Eastern) (Chanticleer Press Ed ed., p. 349). New York: Knopf.• Twig InformationVirginia Tech, Department of Forest Resources and Enviromental Techiniques. (2010, April). Pecan.

Retrieved from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=198• Leaf Description:Society, N. A. (1980). Walnut Family. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E:

Eastern Region (Eastern) (Chanticleer Press Ed ed., p. 349). New York: Knopf.• Bud, Fruit, and Flower Carya illinoinensis Fact Sheet. (n.d.). College of Natural Resources | Virginia Tech .(April 2010)

Retrieved June 23, 2010, from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=198

• Habitat and Range:Society, N. A. (1980). Walnut Family. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E:

Eastern Region (Eastern) (Chanticleer Press Ed ed., p. 349). New York: Knopf.• Uses: Society, N. A. (1980). Walnut Family. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E:

Eastern Region (Eastern) (Chanticleer Press Ed ed., p. 349-50). New York: Knopf.

Figure Citations• Pecan Figure 1:USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=CAIL2&display=31,

23 June 2010). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.• Pecan Figure 2Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-wp11116.JPG• Pecan Figure 3:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bio Images. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-br10698.JPG• Pecan Figure 4:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-tw15931.JPG• Pecan Figure 5:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-lf11184.JPG• Pecan Figure 6:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-tw15931.JPG• Pecan Figure 7:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-frwild-cultiv30314.JPG• Pecan Figure 8:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-flmale10696.JPG• Pecan Figure 10:Baskauf, S. (2001, October 22). Carya illinoinensis. Bioimages. Retrieved June 23, 2010, from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/c/hcail2-fr30311.JPG