Pecan

The Botanical Garden of Palermo is home to an extraordinary specimen of Carya illinoinensis, commonly known as Pecan.

This deciduous tree, introduced to the Garden in 1885, is recognised as a monumental specimen, a centuries-old witness to the history of the Botanical Garden and listed in the National Register of Monumental Trees of Italy (AMI) compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry.

Native to the temperate areas of North America, it is an imposing tree that can reach a height of over 40 metres. From a botanical point of view, the Pecan is a monoecious plant, which means that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree.

The leaves are alternate and pinnate, giving the crown an elegant and compact appearance.

The male flowers are grouped in yellow catkins, while the female flowers are found at the tips of the branches, ready for pollination.

The fruit is an oblong nut, known for its unique flavour, which is sweeter and oilier than that of the common walnut (Juglans regia), to which it is closely related, both belonging to the Juglandaceae family. The fruit is enclosed in a thin shell and, in turn, protected by a green husk which, when ripe, turns black and opens, revealing the precious seed inside.

Pecan harvesting is an activity of great economic importance in its area of origin, making it one of the most significant fruit trees on the continent.