Powdery alligator-flag, hardy canna, or powdery thalia -Thalia dealbata Fraser ex Roscoe - Cyprus

Family Marantaceae

Thalia dealbata, the powdery alligator-flag, hardy canna, or powdery thalia, is an aquatic plant in the family Marantaceae, native to swamps, ponds and other wetlands in the southern and central United States. Its range includes much of Coastal Plains and the lower Mississippi Valley (States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky). The plant has been grown as an aquatic ornamental because of the pretty violet flowers, and in cultivation has been proved hardy as far north as Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) and Vancouver (British Columbia).

Thalia dealbata grows to 6 ft (1.8 m), with small violet flowers on an 8 in (20 cm) panicle held above the foliage. The blue-green leaves are ovate to lanceolate, dusted with white powder and with purple edges

Photos  Geri 25/8/2023 

by George Konstantinou

White-fleshed pitahaya, Dragon fruit - Selenicereus undatus (Haworth) D.R.Hunt - Cyprus

Family: Cactaceae

Selenicereus undatus, the white-fleshed pitahaya, is a species of the genus Selenicereus (formerly Hylocereus) in the family Cactaceae and is the most cultivated species in the genus. It is used both as an ornamental vine and as a fruit crop - the pitahaya or dragon fruit.

Like all true cacti, the genus originates in the Americas, but the precise native origin of the species S. undatus is uncertain and never been resolved; it may be a hybrid.

Dragonfruit stems are scandent (climbing habit), creeping, sprawling or clambering, and branch profusely. There can be four to seven of them, between 5 and 10 m (16 and 33 ft)or longer, with joints from 30 to 120 cm (12 to 47 in) or longer, and 10 to 12 cm (3.9 to 4.7 in) thick; with generally three ribs; margins are corneous (horn-like) with age, and undulate.

Areoles, that is, the small area bearing spines or hairs on a cactus, are 2 mm (0.079 in) across with internodes 1 to 4 cm (0.39 to 1.57 in). Spines on the adult branches are 1 to 4 mm (0.039 to 0.157 in) long, being acicular (needle-like) to almost conical, and grayish brown to black in colour and spreading, with a deep green epidermis.

The scented, nocturnal flowers are 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) long, 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in) wide with the pericarpel 2.5 to 5 cm (0.98 to 1.97 in) long, about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) thick, bracteoles ovate, acute, to 2.5 to less than 4 cm (1.6 in) long; receptacle about 3 cm (1.2 in) thick, bracteoles are linear-lanceolate, 3 to 8 cm (1.2 to 3.1 in) long; outer tepals lanceolate-linear to linear, acuminate (tapering to a point), being 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) long, 10 to 15 mm (0.39 to 0.59 in) wide and mucronate (ending in a short sharp point). Their colour is greenish-yellow or whitish, rarely rose-tinged; inner tepals are lanceolate (tapering to a point at the tip) to oblanceolate (i.e. more pointed at the base), up to 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) long about 40 mm (1.6 in) wide at widest point, and mucronate, unbroken, sharp to acuminate (pointed), and white.

The fruit is oblong to oval, 6 to 12 cm (2.4 to 4.7 in) long, 4 to 9 cm (1.6 to 3.5 in) thick, red with large bracteoles, with white, or more uncommonly, pink pulp and edible black seeds

Selenicereus undatus is lithophytic or hemiepiphytic. It is widely distributed through the tropics in cultivation. It is a sprawling or vining, terrestrial or epiphytic cactus. They climb by use of aerial roots and can reach a height of 10 meters (32.8 feet) or more growing on rocks and trees. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos  Geri 20/8/2023 

by George Konstantinou

Photos  Geri 9/9/2023 

by Fani Konstantinou

Basil or Great basil - Ocimum basilicum L. - Ώκιμον το βασιλικόν - Βασιλικός - Βασιλιτζιά - Cyprus

 Family: Lamiaceae

Basil (/ˈbæzəl/, also US: /ˈbeɪzəl/ Ocimum basilicum /ˈɒsɪməm bəˈzɪlɪkəm/, also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also known as sweet basil or Genovese basil. Basil is native to tropical regions from Central Africa to Southeast Asia. In temperate climates basil is treated as an annual plant, however, basil can be grown as a short-lived perennial or biennial in warmer horticultural zones with tropical or Mediterranean climates.

There are many varieties of basil including sweet basil, Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), and Mrs. Burns' Lemon (O. basilicum var. citriodora). O. basilicum can cross-pollinate with other species of the Ocimum genus, producing hybrids such as lemon basil (O. × citriodorum) and African blue basil (O. × kilimandscharicum).

Etymology

The name "basil" comes from the Latin basilius, and the Greek βασιλικόν φυτόν (basilikón phytón), meaning "royal/kingly plant", possibly because the plant was believed to have been used in production of royal perfumes. Basil is likewise sometimes referred to in French as "l'herbe royale" ('the royal herb'). The Latin name has been confused with basilisk, as it was supposed to be an antidote to the basilisk's venom.

Description Timelapse of growing basil

Desiccated basil showing seed dispersal

Basil is an annual, or sometimes perennial, herb used for its leaves. Depending on the variety, plants can reach heights of between 30 and 150 cm (1 and 5 ft). Its leaves are richly green and ovate, but otherwise come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes depending on cultivar. Leaf sizes range from 3 to 11 cm (1 to 4+1⁄2 in) long, and between 1 and 6 cm (1⁄2 and 2+1⁄2 in) wide. Basil grows a thick, central taproot. Its flowers are small and white, and grow from a central inflorescence, or spike, that emerges from the central stem atop the plant.[citation needed] Unusual among Lamiaceae, the four stamens and the pistil are not pushed under the upper lip of the corolla, but lie over the inferior lip. After entomophilous pollination, the corolla falls off and four round achenes develop inside the bilabiate calyx.

Phytochemistry

The various basils have such distinct scents because the volatile aromatic compounds vary with cultivars. The essential oil from European basil contains high concentrations of linalool and methyl chavicol (estragole), in a ratio of about 3:1. Other constituents include: 1,8-cineole, eugenol, and myrcene, among others. The clove scent of sweet basil is derived from eugenol. The aroma profile of basil includes 1,8-cineole and methyl eugenol. In this species eugenol is synthesised from coniferyl acetate and NADPH. Some of these are useful as insect repellents, see § Insect repellent below.

Distribution and habitat

Basil is native to India and other tropical regions stretching from Africa to South East Asia, but has now become globalized due to human cultivation. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil

Host plants of a moth - Cabbage looper - Trichoplusia ni (Hübner, 1800–1803) - Cyprus

Ο βασιλικός είναι ετήσιο αρωματικό, ποώδες φυτό, η κοινή ονομασία για το μαγειρικό βότανο Ώκιμον το βασιλικόν της οικογένειας των Χειλανθών Λαμιίδων (δυόσμων) και της τάξης των Σωληνανθών. Σε ορισμένες Αγγλόφωνες χώρες είναι γνωστός και ως «Βότανο του Αγίου Ιωσήφ».

Ο βασιλικός πιθανόν κατάγεται από την Ινδία, ή ίσως από το Ιράν και να έχει καλλιεργηθεί εκεί για περισσότερα από 5.000 χρόνια. Ήταν διεξοδικά αναφερόμενος στους Έλληνες συγγραφείς Θεόφραστο[3] και Διοσκουρίδη. Πρόκειται για ένα ημι-σκληραγωγημένο ετήσιο φυτό, πιο γνωστό ως μαγειρικό βότανο, χαρακτηριστικό κυρίως στην Ιταλική κουζίνα, το οποίο επίσης παίζει σημαντικό ρόλο στις κουζίνες της Νοτιοανατολικής Ασίας της Ινδονησίας, Ταϊλάνδης, Μαλαισίας, Βιετνάμ, Καμπότζης, Λάος και της Ταϊβάν. Αναλόγως με το είδος και την ποικιλία, τα φύλλα μπορούν να έχουν γεύση παρόμοια με το γλυκάνισο, με έντονη, πικάντικη, συχνά γλυκιά, μυρωδιά.

Υπάρχουν πολλές ποικιλίες των Ocimum basilicum καθώς και διάφορα συναφή είδη ή υβρίδια, τα οποία επίσης φέρονται με τη γενική ονομασία "βασιλικός". Ο τύπος, ο οποίος χρησιμοποιείται στα ιταλικά φαγητά, συνήθως, ονομάζεται γλυκός βασιλικός, σε αντίθεση με τον βασιλικό της Ταϊλάνδης (O. basilicum ποικ. thyrsiflora), τον βασιλικό λεμόνι (lemon basil - O. X citriodorum) και τον ιερό βασιλικό (holy basil - Ocimum tenuiflorum), οι οποίοι χρησιμοποιούνται στην Ασία. Ενώ οι πιο διαδεδομένες ποικιλίες του βασιλικού αντιμετωπίζονται ως μονοετή (annual), κάποιοι, σε ζεστά τροπικά κλίματα, είναι πολυετή (perennial),[Σημ. 2] συμπεριλαμβανομένου του «ιερού βασιλικού» («holy basil») και μια ποικιλία γνωστή ως «Αφρικανικός μπλε βασιλικός» («African Blue»).Από τη Βικιπαίδεια, την ελεύθερη εγκυκλοπαίδεια - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%92%CE%B1%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%82

Apricot - Prunus armeniaca L. - Βερίκοκο - Βερικοκιά - Χρυσομηλιά - Cyprus

Prunus armeniaca ("Armenian plum"), the most commonly cultivated apricot species, also called ansu apricot, Siberian apricot, Tibetan apricot, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation, though almost certainly somewhere in Asia. It is extensively cultivated in many countries and has escaped into the wild in many places.

Prunus armeniaca is a small tree, 8–12 m (26–39 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter and a dense, spreading canopy. The leaves are ovate, 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in) long and 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide, with a rounded base, a pointed tip and a finely serrated margin. The flowers are 2–4.5 cm (0.8–1.8 in) in diameter, with five white to pinkish petals; they are produced singly or in pairs in early spring before the leaves. The fruit is a drupe similar to a small peach, 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1.0 in) diameter (larger in some modern cultivars), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface can be smooth (botanically described as: glabrous) or velvety with very short hairs (botanically: pubescent). The flesh is usually firm and not very juicy. Its taste can range from sweet to tart. The single seed is enclosed in a hard, stony shell, often called a "stone", with a grainy, smooth texture except for three ridges running down one side.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Η βερικοκιά είναι οπωροφόρο, μακρόβιο, φυλλοβόλο δέντρο και ανήκει στο γένος Προύνος της οικογένειας των Ροδοειδών. Στην Κύπρο το δέντρο είναι γνωστό ως χρυσομηλιά.

Βρίσκεται αυτοφυής στην Ανατολική Ασία και τα Ιμαλάια, από όπου μεταφέρθηκε στην υπόλοιπη Ευρώπη μέσω της Αρμενίας, εξ’ ου και η επιστημονική της ονομασία Προυνούς Αρμενιάκα. Πρέπει να ήταν γνωστή στην Κίνα, γιατί υπάρχουν αναφορές σε βιβλία όπου κατά το 2200 π.Χ. είχε την ονομασία Σίνγκ.

Σήμερα καλλιεργείται σε όλες τις εύκρατες περιοχές του κόσμου για το νόστιμο καρπό της, το βερίκοκο. Η βερικοκιά είναι δέντρο με σφαιροειδές σχήμα και αρκετές απλωτές διακλαδώσεις. Τα φύλλα της είναι πλατιά σε σχήμα αβγού ή καρδιάς στιλπνά στην επάνω επιφάνεια και φέρουν αδένες και παράφυλλα πάνω στο μίσχο. Τα άνθη της είναι και αρσενικά και θηλυκά και έχουν χρώμα λευκό ή ελαφρύ ρόδινο, φύονται δε μόνα τους ή ανά δύο.

Η άνθιση ολοκληρώνεται πριν βγουν τα φύλλα και γίνεται την άνοιξη (αρχές Μαρτίου-Απριλίου), είναι δε μικρής διάρκειας.

Η καλλιεργούμενη βερικοκιά πολλαπλασιάζεται με εμβολιασμό που γίνεται σε συγγενικά είδη, κυρίως σε αμυγδαλιά αλλά και σε ροδακινιά, κορομηλιά και δαμασκηνιά.

Για την καλλιέργεια της τα πιο κατάλληλα εδάφη είναι αυτά με μία μέση σύσταση και λεπτή υφή. Όταν υπάρχει δυνατό και ξαφνικό κρύο ή παγετός τότε οι ανθοί καταστρέφονται, αν και τα δέντρα είναι ανθεκτικά και σε πολύ χαμηλές θερμοκρασίες. Υψηλές θερμοκρασίες επίσης προκαλούν αλλοιώσεις στον καρπό. Τα δέντρα χρειάζονται καλό πότισμα την περίοδο της ανθοφορίας τους.

Κάτω από καλές συνθήκες μία βερικοκιά μπορεί να ζήσει και πάνω από 100 χρόνια.
Από τη Βικιπαίδεια, την ελεύθερη εγκυκλοπαίδεια

Photos Potamos tou Kampou 13/5/2016 by George Konstantinou

palo verde, Mexican palo verde, Parkinsonia, Jerusalem thorn, and jelly bean tree.- Parkinsonia aculeata L. - Παρκινσόνια - Cyprus

Parkinsonia aculeata is a species of perennial flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. Common names include palo verde, Mexican palo verde, Parkinsonia, Jerusalem thorn, and jelly bean tree.

The genus name Parkinsonia honors the English botanist John Parkinson (1567–1650), while the species Latin name aculeata refers to the thorny stem of this plant.

Parkinsonia aculeata may be a spiny shrub or a small tree. It grows 2 to 8 m (6.6 to 26.2 ft) high, with a maximum height of 10 metres (33 ft). Palo verde may have single or multiple stems and many branches with pendulous leaves. The leaves and stems are hairless. The leaves are alternate and pennate (15 to 20 cm long). The flattened petiole is edged by two rows of 25–30 tiny oval leaflets; the leaflets are soon deciduous in dry weather (and during the winter in some areas) leaving the green petioles and branches to photosynthesize.

The branches grow double or triple sharp spines 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) long at the axils of the leaves. The flowers are yellow- orange and fragrant, 20 mm (0.79 in) in diameter, growing from a long slender stalk in groups of eight to ten. They have five sepals and five petals, four of them clearer and rhomboid ovate, the fifth elongated, with a warmer yellow and purple spots at the base. The flowering period is the middle months of spring(March& April or September & October). The flowers are pollinated by bees. The fruit is a seedpod, leathery in appearance, light brown when mature.

P. aculeata is a major invasive species in Australia, parts of tropical Africa, Hawaii, and other Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

It was introduced to Australia as an ornamental tree and for shade around 1900. It is now a serious weed widespread through Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, covering about 8,000 km2 (3,100 sq mi) of land, and has the potential to spread through most of the semi-arid to subhumid tropical area in Australia.

It forms dense thickets, preventing access for humans, native animals and livestock to waterways. The fruits (seedpods) float, and the plant spreads by dropping pods into water, or pods are washed downstream by seasonal flooding. Without the scarifying received by tumbling in streambeds, the seeds are slow to germinate.

Several control methods are used to reduce the existing population and the spread of P. aculeata in Australia. Three insects have been introduced to Australia for biological control; the parkinsonia bean weevils, Penthobruchus germaini and Mimosestes ulkei, both have larvae that specifically eat the seeds from parkinsonia pods and are proving to be a useful management tool, and the parkinsonia leaf bug, Rhinacloa callicrates, which destroys photosynthetic tissues but has had little overall impact on the plant. Fire is effective for young trees; mechanical removal and herbicides are also used.

P. aculeata is native to the Sonoran and Chihuahan Deserts of southwestern United States (western Texas, southern New Mexico southern Arizona), and northern Mexico (Sonora and Chihuahua) as well as the Galápagos Islands. Its native range has expanded over the last several decades into the (Edwards Plateau and Central Texas). It has been moved by humans into the Caribbean, South America south to northern Argentina, and Hawai'i. It has been introduced in Europe and it is widespread in Australia. This thin barked species does not become established in areas where weather dips below 20 degrees F. It has expanded into Southern California as far north as San Bernardino County.

Parkinsonia aculeata has a high tolerance to drought, simply attaining shorter stature. In moist and humus-rich environments it becomes a taller, spreading shade tree. This plant prefers a full sun exposure, but can grow on a wide range of dry soils (sand dunes, clay, alkaline and chalky soils,etc.), at an altitude of 0–1,500 metres (0–4,921 ft) above sea level.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Geri 13/5/2016 by George Konstantinou

Kurrajong - Brachychiton populneus (Schott & Endl.) R. Br. - Ετερόφυλλος βραχυχίτωνας - Cyprus

Brachychiton populneus, commonly known as the Kurrajong, is a small to medium-sized tree found naturally in Australia in a diversity of habitats from wetter coastal districts to semi-arid interiors of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The extended trunk is a water storage device for survival in a warm dry climate. The bell-shaped flowers are variable in colour (pale to pink) while the leaves vary considerably in shape. The leaves are either simple and pointed, or may be 3 - 9 lobed. Saplings grow from a drought and fire resistant tap-rooted tuber.

Kurrajong has multiple uses. Seeds are eaten by Aboriginal people after roasting. The soft spongy wood was used for making shields, and the bark as a fibre. The leaves are also used as emergency fodder for drought-affected animal stock.

It has been introduced as an ornamental tree to south-western Australia, South Africa, Louisiana, California, Arizona and Mediterranean countries. In Western Australia it was observed to be invasive in disturbed areas.

Horticulturists have hybridised the Kurrajong with related Brachychiton species, including the Queensland bottle tree (B. rupestris) and Illawarra Flame Tree (B. acerifolius) to produce new garden ornamentals.

The specific name populneus pertains to a perceived similarity to genus Populus, the Poplars. Sometimes B. populneus is also known by the names "lacebark kurrajong" and "bottle tree" (USA). However, B.discolor is also referred to as the Lacebark Kurrajong, and Bottle Tree is a term commonly applied not only to other species of Brachychiton but to members of other genera around the world.

The kurrajong has been recorded as a host plant for the mistletoe species Dendrophthoe glabrescens.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Geri 13/5/2016 by George Konstantinou

White mulberry - Morus alba L. 1753 - Λευκή μουριά - Συκαμιά - Μουριά - Cyprus

See Also

Silkworm - Bombyx mori (Linnaeus, 1758) - Μεταξοσκώληκας - Καματερόν - Cyprus

Morus alba, known as white mulberry, is a short-lived, fast-growing, small to medium-sized mulberry tree, which grows to 10–20 m tall. The species is native to northern China, and is widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere (United States, Mexico, Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Argentina, etc.).It is known as shahatut शहतूत in Hindi,Tuta in Sanskrit, Tuti in Marathi, Dut in Turkish and Toot in Persian in Azerbaijani and in Armenian.

The white mulberry is widely cultivated to feed the silkworms employed in the commercial production of silk. It is also notable for the rapid release of its pollen, which is launched at over half the speed of sound.

On young, vigorous shoots, the leaves may be up to 30 cm long, and deeply and intricately lobed, with the lobes rounded. On older trees, the leaves are generally 5–15 cm long, unlobed, cordate at the base and rounded to acuminate at the tip, and serrated on the margins. The trees are generally deciduous in temperate regions, but trees grown in tropical regions can be evergreen. The flowers are single-sex catkins; male catkins are 2–3.5 cm long, and female catkins 1–2 cm long. Male and female flowers are usually on separate trees although they may occur on the same tree The fruit is 1–2.5 cm long; in the species in the wild it is deep purple, but in many cultivated plants it varies from white to pink; it is sweet but bland, unlike the more intense flavor of the red mulberry and black mulberry. The seeds are widely dispersed in the droppings of birds that eat the fruit.

The white mulberry is scientifically notable for the rapid plant movement involved in pollen release from its catkins. The stamens act as catapults, releasing stored elastic energy in just 25 µs. The resulting movement is approximately 350 miles per hour (560 km/h), over half the speed of sound, making it the fastest known movement in the plant kingdom

Cultivation of white mulberry for silkworms began over four thousand years ago in China. In 2002, 6,260 km2 of land were devoted to the species in China.

The species is now extensively planted and widely naturalized throughout the warm temperate world. It has been grown widely from Indian subcontinent west through Afghanistan and Iran to southern Europe for over a thousand years for leaves to feed silkworms.

More recently, it has become widely naturalized in disturbed areas such as roadsides and the edges of tree lots, along with and urban areas in much of North America, where it hybridizes readily with a locally native red mulberry (Morus rubra). There is now serious concern for the long-term genetic viability of red mulberry because of extensive hybridization in some areas. As a result, it is listed as an invasive plant in parts of North America.

White mulberry leaves are the preferred feedstock for silkworms, and are also cut for food for livestock (cattle, goats, etc.) in areas where dry seasons restrict the availability of ground vegetation. The fruit are also eaten, often dried or made into wine.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the fruit is used to treat prematurely grey hair, to "tonify" the blood, and treat constipation and diabetes.[citation needed] The bark is used to treat cough, wheezing, edema, and to promote urination. It is also used to treat fever, headache, red dry and sore eyes.

For landscaping, a fruitless mulberry was developed from a clone for use in the production of silk in the U.S. The industry never materialized, but the mulberry variety is now used as an ornamental tree where shade is desired without the fruit. A weeping cultivar of white mulberry, Morus alba 'Pendula', is a popular ornamental plant. The species has become a popular lawn tree across the desert cities of the southwestern United States, prized for its shade and also for its sweet, white fruits. The plant's pollen has become problematical in some cities where it has been blamed for an increase in hay fever
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Kato Pyrgos  13/5/2016 by George Konstantinou

Pecan - Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K.Koch - Καρυδιά Πεκάν - Cyprus

The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to Mexico and the southcentral and southeastern regions of the United States

"Pecan" is from an Algonquian word variously referring to pecans, walnuts and hickory nuts, or more broadly to any nut requiring a stone to crack. There are many variant pronunciations, some regional and others not. The most common American pronunciation is /piˈkɑːn/; the most common British one is /pɪˈkæn/. Unusually, there is little agreement in the United States, even regionally, as to the "correct" pronunciation

The pecan tree is a large deciduous tree, growing to 20–40 m (66–131 ft) in height, rarely to 44 m (144 ft).[2] It typically has a spread of 12–23 m (39–75 ft) with a trunk up to 2 m (6.6 ft) diameter. A 10-year-old sapling will stand about 5 m (16 ft) tall. The leaves are alternate, 30–45 cm (12–18 in) long, and pinnate with 9–17 leaflets, each leaflet 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) long and 2–6 cm (0.79–2.36 in) broad.

A pecan, like the fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, is not truly a nut, but is technically a drupe, a fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk. The husks are produced from the exocarp tissue of the flower, while the part known as the nut develops from the endocarp and contains the seed. The husk itself is aeneous, oval to oblong, 2.6–6 cm (1.0–2.4 in) long and 1.5–3 cm (0.59–1.18 in) broad. The outer husk is 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) thick, starts out green and turns brown at maturity, at which time it splits off in four sections to release the thin-shelled nut.

The seeds of the pecan are edible, with a rich, buttery flavor. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooking, particularly in sweet desserts. One of the most common desserts with the pecan as a central ingredient is the pecan pie, a traditional Southern U.S. dish. Pecans are also a major ingredient in praline candy.

In addition to the pecan seed, the wood is also used in making furniture and wood flooring as well as flavoring fuel for smoking meats.

Pecans were one of the most recently domesticated major crops. Although wild pecans were well known among the colonial Americans as a delicacy, the commercial growing of pecans in the United States did not begin until the 1880s. Today, the U.S. produces between 80% and 95% of the world's pecans, with an annual crop of 150–200 thousand tons from more than 10 million trees. The nut harvest for growers is typically around mid-October. Historically, the leading pecan-producing state in the U.S. has been Georgia, followed by Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, the largest orchard being Stahmann Farms in south-central New Mexico; pecans are also grown in Alabama, California, Florida, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Hawaii. Outside the United States, pecans are grown in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Peru, and South Africa. They can be grown from USDA hardiness zones approximately 5 to 9, provided summers are also hot and humid.

Pecan trees may live and bear edible seeds for more than 300 years. They are mostly self-incompatible, because most cultivars are clones derived from wild trees which show incomplete dichogamy. Generally, two or more trees of different cultivars must be present to pollinate each other.

Choosing cultivars can be a complex practice, based on the Alternate Bearing Index (ABI) and their period of pollinating. Commercial planters are most concerned with the ABI, which describes a cultivar's likelihood to bear on an alternating years (index of 1.0 signifies highest likelihood of bearing little to nothing every other year). The period of pollination groups all cultivars into two families: those that shed pollen before they can receive pollen (protandrous), and those that shed pollen after becoming receptive to pollen (protogynous). Planting cultivars from both families within 250 feet is recommended for proper pollination.

In 100 g, pecans provide 691 Calories and over 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for total fat. Pecans are a rich source of dietary fiber (38% DV), manganese (214% DV), magnesium (34% DV), phosphorus (40% DV), zinc (48% DV) and thiamin (57% DV).[20] Pecans are also a good source (10-19% DV) of protein, iron, and B vitamins. Their fat content consists mainly of monounsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic acid (57% of total fat), and the polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid (30% of total fat)

Before European settlement, pecans were widely consumed and traded by Native Americans. As a food source, pecans are a natural choice for preagricultural society. They can provide two to five times more energy per unit weight than wild game, and require no preparation. As a wild forage, the fruit of the previous growing season is commonly still edible when found on the ground. Hollow tree trunks, found in abundance in pecan stands, offer ideal storage of pecans by humans and squirrels, alike.

Pecans first became known to Europeans in the 16th century. The first Europeans to come into contact with pecans were Spanish explorers in what is now Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana. These Spanish explorers called the pecan, nuez de la arruga, which roughly translates to "wrinkle nut". They were called this for their resemblance to wrinkles. The genus Carya does not exist in the Old World. Because of their familiarity with the genus Juglans, these early explorers referred to the nuts as nogales and nueces, the Spanish terms for "walnut trees" and "fruit of the walnut". They noted the particularly thin shell and acorn-like shape of the fruit, indicating they were indeed referring to pecans. The Spaniards took the pecan into Europe, Asia, and Africa beginning in the 16th century. In 1792, William Bartram reported in his botanical book, Travels, a nut tree, Juglans exalata that some botanists today argue was the American pecan tree, but others argue was hickory, Carya ovata. Pecan trees are native to the United States, and writing about the pecan tree goes back to the nation's founders. Thomas Jefferson planted pecan trees, C. illinoinensis (Illinois nuts), in his nut orchard at his home, Monticello, in Virginia. George Washington reported in his journal that Thomas Jefferson gave him "Illinois nuts", pecans, which Washington then grew at Mount Vernon, his Virginia home.
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Photos Kato Pyrgos  13/5/2016 by Michael Hadjiconstantis.