Description

Pecans, the only tree nut indigenous to North America, are commercially grown in the southern U.S. and northern Mexico. Growing wild in groves along the banks of the Mississippi River, or farmed in orchards, the plants can take seven to 10 years to begin producing fruit.
Pecans, of the hickory genus, are frequently harvested by shaking the trees or gathering the nuts from the ground. The nuts will need to be dried for at least two weeks in their shells. Many people prefer to shell and roast them, as well.
Pecans contain monounsaturated fats and are rich in antioxidants. They are essential to southern cooking, including the ubiquitous pecan pie, as well as adding the crunch to chocolate Turtles.