Facts About Pecans

  • Pecan trees can be traced back to the 16th century. Originating in central and eastern North America.

  • The term pecan is derived from the word paccan or pakan meaning a nut so hard it had to be cracked with a stone.

  • At 470 degrees Fahrenheit, pecan oil's smoke point surpasses those of many commonly used oils, such as olive oil.

  • A pecan tree can be pollinated up to 10 miles from another tree, if the wind currents are favorable. Due to pecan trees being wind pollinated, they have thrived and adapted in the southern region over time.

  • Louisiana harvests on average of 17.7 million pecans each year.

  • Due to the size potential you should plant pecan trees with 35-feet between trees, then eventually thinned to 50-ft. These trees can live over 1,00 years.

  • Varieties have unique shells, flavors and shapes. A native pecan often has thicker shells and smaller nuts, while improved varieties tend to have more delicate shells and larger nuts. Another clue in identifying different pecan varieties is the nut shape and kernel appearance. Some pecans are round, while others are football-shaped.

  • You definitely can! Scientists have discovered that adding a handful of pecans to a traditional low-fat, cholesterol-lowering diet can have an impact.

  • Over 90% of the fat found in pecans is unsaturated, heart-healthy fat meeting.