By Elizabeth J. Fichtner, UC Master Gardener
Tulare County and the greater Ivanhoe area mark the epicenter of regional production of pecan, the only California nut crop that is native to the United States. Although we celebrate pecan as the “native nut,” it is not actually native to California but originates from the forested lands surrounding the Mississippi River, as well as rivers in southeastern Texas and Mexico. In fact, the word ‘pecan’ is derived from the word pacane used by the Native Americans to describe a nut that requires a stone to crack. Pecan cultivation and consumption are rooted in American history dating back over 8000 years, as evidenced by their discovery at archaeological sites in their native geographic range. The role of the nut in pecan pie and pralines also indicate that pecans have withstood the test of time as a prominent component of American culture.
Late April to early May marks the period of bloom for pecans in Tulare County. Unlike February’s showy almond bloom, the pecan bloom is a more subtle event. Pecans are wind-pollinated and therefore do not require showy flowers to attract insect pollinators. Pecans and walnuts are in the same plant family (Juglandaceae), making their reproductive strategy very similar. They produce separate male and female flowers on the same tree, a term botanists call monoecious (Greek for ‘one house’). To prevent self-pollination, the male and female flowers mature at different times. As a result, growers plant at least two cultivars of pecan in each orchard to ensure the overlap of female bloom with the availability of pollen to set a crop. In the southern San Joaquin Valley, pecan orchards are generally composed of two varieties, Wichita and Western. The male flowers on Western mature in advance of its female flowers, but their pollen shed is at the appropriate time for the Wichita females to receive the pollen. Conversely the male flowers of Wichita mature later than its female flowers, allowing Wichita to pollinate the female flowers on Western. The crop is generally ready to harvest in late October to early November, but an early start to the fall rainy season often limits orchard access, pushing the local harvest into December and sometimes January.
Pecans are a rich source of protein, fiber, healthy fats, nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. The written accounts of a 16th century captured Spanish Explorer, Cabeza de Vaca, illustrate the importance of pecans in the culture and diet of Native American communities. Cabeza de Vaca described how Native American groups traveled as much as 75 miles to harvest pecans, and some tribes ate pecans for a month or two of the year. Pecans, like pistachio and olive, produce heavy crops one year followed by lighter crops the successive year, a process called alternate bearing. Native Americans were aware of the alternate bearing habit of pecan and adjusted their harvest expectations accordingly. Pecans were a rich source of energy for indigenous peoples because they have approximately 690 kilocalories/100 grams of nutmeat and didn’t spoil easily. The value of pecans was readily understood by our nation’s founders, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who both planted pecans at their Virginia estates. Pecans are still a major crop in the southeastern United States, another growing region outside of the pecan’s native range.
Although California produces less than 2% of the total pecans grown in the USA, the state is responsible for nearly all domestic English walnut production. The relatedness of the two crops has facilitated an overlap of specialization in the grower community, with many long-time walnut growers also managing the state’s pecan acreage. As a result, Tulare County boasts over 1,000 acres of pecan and is home to one of the state’s pecan handlers.
-Elizabeth J. Fichtner, PhD, is a farm advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Tulare County.
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