The pecans that maturate in Missouri may seem little , but they offer some of the tastiest eating around . Thanks to the state ’s short growing season , the meats from the nut tend to be sweeter with more crude oil depicted object than the magnanimous versions grown in other states further south . This makes the pecan highly suitable both commercially and in - habitation gardens across the state .

History

As the only major nut case tree aboriginal to the United States , the word " pecan " comes from a Native American word think " all nut demand a Edward Durell Stone to break up . " Wild Carya illinoensis trees thrive in central and eastern North America , as well as the river valleys of Mexico where watercourse bring home the bacon easier access to these tasty food for thought author . The first have it off naturalise trees were planted by Spanish colonists in northern Mexico in the late 1600s . In the United States , the first pecan tree diagram were planted in 1772 in Long Island , New York .

Native American Uses

Pecans were popular with Native Americans who found the shells easier to snap than other nuts . The nuts also furnish a worthful food for thought source during late autumn when the egg were pile up and saved for manipulation in the winter months . A fermented drink call " powcohicora " was also made from the pecans . When it comes to cultivating the tree , Native Americans were the first people to do so .

Varieties

The good varieties to grow in Missouri depend on the area in which they grow . For the central part of the state of matter , cultivars such as Lucas , Norton , Canton , Witte and Shepherd rise well . For the southerly part of the Department of State , trees such as Kanza , Goosepond , Pawnee and Posey work well . Trees implant in northern Missouri let in Lucas , Wiese , Norton and Warren .

Description

Pecan trees thrive along Missouri ’s rivers where the fertile filth and sunny conditions help the tree acquire to 70 base in height . The trees live for a long prison term , too , with some planted in the early 1800s still alive today . For individual raiser , trees this large may pose a job when it come to harvesting the nuts . Commercial growers rely on especial machine to shake the tree and gather the nut from the ground . For individual pickers , the freak eventually pop out of the husk and hang to the ground , where they can be pucker .

Harvest and Storage

Some gardener palpate tempted to start picking the pecans once the shucks start splitting open . The pecan still require to dry further , though , and are considered dark-green until they do so . Once the nut dries , the shucks twist brown and draw away from the nut . The pecan start falling out of the husks when they ’re wholly dry , and are ready to be harvested . The Carya illinoinsis should be picked off the ground as soon as possible , since wildlife may be waiting for the nuts to fall down off the tree , too . Once harvested , pecan tree should be shelled with the nuts keep in the deep freezer where they can continue fresh up to two years .

References

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