Texas State Tree: Pecan

Texas's official state tree is the Pecan, a large deciduous hardwood native to Texas and the south-central United States. This tree grows 70 to 100 feet tall in Texas, with exceptional specimens exceeding 120 feet. The trunk measures three to six feet in diameter on mature trees. Some ancient Texas pecans reach eight feet across in river bottomlands. The tree grows at a moderate pace, adding 12 to 18 inches per year in favorable conditions. Pecan can live 200 to 300 years in Texas. The species holds enormous economic value - Texas produces 60 to 80 million pounds of pecans annually, making it America's leading pecan-producing state. The nuts generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the Texas economy through commercial orchards and native tree harvests.

The leaves appear compound with 9 to 17 leaflets arranged along a central stem. Each compound leaf measures 12 to 20 inches long. The individual leaflets are lance-shaped, measuring four to seven inches long with finely serrated edges. Leaves emerge yellow-green in spring, darken to deep green in summer, and turn golden yellow in fall before dropping. The tree produces separate male and female flowers on the same tree. Long, drooping catkins release pollen in spring while small female flowers develop at branch tips. By fall, the distinctive nuts develop inside green husks that split open when ripe. Each nut has a smooth, thin shell containing the edible kernel - the pecan we eat.

Pecan grows naturally throughout Texas in river valleys and bottomlands. The species thrives along Texas rivers including the Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, and San Antonio Rivers. Native pecan groves line waterways across Central Texas, providing shade and nuts. The tree requires deep, well-drained soils and adequate moisture. Wild pecans grow primarily in East and Central Texas where rainfall supports the tree without irrigation. Commercial pecan orchards extend into West Texas with irrigation. Texas lies at the center of the pecan's natural range, with more native pecan acreage than any other state. The tree tolerates Texas heat and occasional drought once established. San Saba County calls itself the Pecan Capital of the World, with both native groves and commercial orchards producing enormous crops.

The official name is Pecan, derived from the Algonquian word 'pacane' meaning 'nut requiring a stone to crack.' Spanish explorers adopted the native name, spelling it 'pacana,' which evolved into the English 'pecan.' Texans pronounce it 'puh-KAHN' rather than 'PEE-can.' The scientific name Carya illinoinensis combines Carya (Greek for nut) with illinoinensis (meaning of Illinois), though the tree grows far more abundantly in Texas than Illinois. Early Texas settlers called it pecan hickory or simply hickory, since pecans belong to the hickory genus.

Some Texas references use improved pecan for cultivated varieties versus native pecan for wild trees. The genus Carya includes about 18 hickory species. Pecan is the only hickory cultivated for nuts on a commercial scale. The species belongs to the Juglandaceae family, the walnut family. Texas's Pecan is the same species grown throughout the south-central United States and northern Mexico. Texas contains the finest native pecan habitat and produces larger crops than any other state.

Texas made Pecan its official state tree in 1919, becoming the first state in America to designate a state tree. Governor James Ferguson signed the legislation on March 1, 1919. The Texas Legislature passed the designation recognizing pecan as a tree integral to Texas history, economy, and identity. By 1919, Texas pecan orchards had begun large-scale commercial production and wild pecan harvests employed thousands of Texans each fall. The designation honored both the tree's economic importance and its deep roots in Texas culture.

Texas selected Pecan because the species shaped the state's history and economy for centuries. Native Americans including the Caddo, Comanche, and Apache gathered pecans as a dietary staple long before European contact. Pecans provided concentrated nutrition that could be stored for winter. Archaeological evidence shows Native Americans harvested Texas pecans for at least 8,000 years. Spanish explorers documented extensive pecan groves along Texas rivers in the 1500s and 1600s. Cabeza de Vaca's 1528 expedition noted natives gathering pecans in massive quantities. Spanish missions planted pecan trees and used the nuts for food. Mexican settlers continued the tradition, and Texas pioneers quickly learned pecan's value.

The tree became central to Texas agriculture and culture. In 1822, Sylvester Graham documented pecans growing along the Brazos and Colorado Rivers. By the 1880s, Texas entrepreneurs began cultivating improved pecan varieties. Edmond E. Risien established Texas's first commercial pecan nursery in San Saba in 1888. Governor James Stephen Hogg, who served from 1891 to 1895, loved pecans so much he requested a pecan tree be planted at his grave. His dying words reportedly included 'Let my children plant at the head of my grave a pecan tree, and at my feet an old-fashioned walnut.' Texas honored his wish, and the trees still stand at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. This famous request cemented pecan's place in Texas legend. The 36th Legislature officially recognized pecan in 1919 after years of advocacy by Texas growers and citizens. Commercial pecan orchards expanded rapidly after the designation. Texas developed new varieties including 'Western Schley,' 'Burkett,' and 'Wichita' that became industry standards. By the mid-1900s, Texas led the nation in both native pecan harvest and orchard production. The pecan industry employed tens of thousands of Texans - orchard workers, processors, shellers, and sellers. Modern Texas continues this dominance, producing more pecans than any state and exporting Texas pecans worldwide. The 1919 designation recognized that Pecan represented Texas agriculture, pioneer heritage, Native American traditions, and the natural bounty of Texas rivers and bottomlands.

Texas's state flower is the Bluebonnet (Lupinus), designated in 1901. The state adopted its floral symbol 18 years before choosing pecan. Both symbols are native to Texas and hold deep cultural significance. The bluebonnet blankets Texas prairies and roadsides with blue flowers in spring, while pecan trees tower along rivers and in orchards statewide. Bluebonnets bloom in March and April as pecan trees begin leafing out. Together these symbols represent Texas from ground-level wildflowers to towering shade trees, capturing the state's agricultural heritage and natural landscapes from prairies to river valleys.

The compound leaves provide reliable identification. Look for leaves composed of 9 to 17 individual leaflets arranged along a central stem. The entire compound leaf measures 12 to 20 inches long. Each leaflet appears lance-shaped, four to seven inches long, with finely serrated edges and a slightly curved form. The leaflets attach in opposite or nearly opposite pairs along the stem. The terminal leaflet may be larger than side leaflets. This many-leafed compound structure distinguishes pecan from most Texas trees. Count the leaflets - if there are 9 or more, it's likely pecan or another hickory.

The nuts and husks confirm identification. In fall, look for oval nuts inside green husks that split into four sections when ripe. The nuts measure one to two inches long with smooth, thin shells that are tan to reddish-brown. The shell has a pointed tip and rounded base. Inside the shell, the edible pecan kernel has a distinctive sweet, buttery flavor. The husks start green and turn brown as they mature in October and November. Unlike walnuts which have thick, hard-to-crack husks, pecan husks split cleanly revealing the nut inside. The distinctive pecan nut shape and thin shell make identification certain.

The overall form shows a large, spreading crown. Mature pecans develop massive trunks supporting crowns that spread 60 to 80 feet wide. The crown appears rounded to oval with a somewhat open branching pattern. Forest-grown trees develop taller, narrower crowns, while open-grown trees spread widely. The bark appears gray-brown with shallow furrows and flat ridges forming a somewhat scaly pattern. As trees age, the bark develops deeper furrows with broader ridges. Young trees show smoother bark. Twigs are stout with large, pointed buds. In spring, look for long, drooping catkins (male flowers) that hang from branches releasing pollen. The enormous size, spreading crown, and compound leaves make mature pecan trees unmistakable in the Texas landscape.

Pecan represents Texas agriculture, heritage, and natural abundance. The tree symbolizes Native American traditions, pioneer resourcefulness, and modern agricultural success. For Texans, pecan evokes river bottomlands, Governor Hogg's famous grave-side wish, and the fall harvest season when families gather nuts. The species embodies Texas's position as America's leading pecan producer and the tree's economic importance to rural communities. Pecan represents how a native Texas tree became an agricultural industry generating hundreds of millions of dollars while maintaining wild groves along rivers. The tree connects modern Texas to 8,000 years of human history and symbolizes the state's commitment to agriculture, natural resources, and distinctive cultural identity.