Identifying Characteristics
| Size/Form: | Pecan is a large tree that may grow up to between 100 and 140 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet in diameter. It has a long, clear bole that spreads into a narrow, pyramidal crown and a buttressed trunk. When grown in the open, it may begin branching just several feet above the ground. |
| Leaves: | The leaves are pinnately compound, alternate, and deciduous. There are 9 to 17 leaflets per leaf. |
| Twigs: | The twigs are stout, reddish-brown, and glabrous. The pith is homogeneous. |
| Bark: | The bark is light brownish-gray, moderately thick, and shaggy. Narrow fissures divide the bark into scaly, interlacing ridges. |
| Flowers: | The pecan is a monoecious species. The yellow-green male flowers hang on catkins in pairs or groups of 3. The female flowers are also yellowish-green, and are small and 4-angled. |
| Fruit: | The fruit is an elliptical-shaped, edible nut that is about 1½ to 2½ inches long. It is enclosed in a thin, dark reddish-brown husk and grows in clusters of 3 to 12. The seed is deeply 2-grooved and sweet. |
|
Similar Trees on the Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest List:
|
|