| The Pecan is a very large hickory tree native to the south-central U.S. Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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| Pecans are fairly easy to identify because of the large number of leaflets per leaf (11-17) and the pale, scaly bark on smaller trees. The leaves have a distinctive aroma when rubbed. Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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| Flowering is in mid to late spring. These are staminate (male) catkins. Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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| Menard, TX 4/27/2011.
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| Pecan is frequently cultivated in North Carolina for its nuts. It escapes from cultivation only on occasion. The most similar native species are Water Hickory (Carya aquatica), which has 9-11 very narrow leaflets and slightly shaggy bark, and Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), which has a similar number of leaflets (15-19), but tight, darker bark. The distinctive vase-like shape of mature Pecan trees is another good clue. View from beneath the canopy of a large tree. Hillsborough, Orange Co., NC 6/1/08.
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| Flowering is in late spring. Hillsborough, Orange Co., NC 6/1/08.
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| Some older references, such as the Radford manual, spell the species name Carya illinoensis. Hillsborough, Orange Co., NC 6/1/08.
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| Hillsborough, Orange Co., NC 6/1/08.
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| Bark of a large tree. The bark is pale tan and scaly. One of the favorite trees of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, on most trees (not pictured here) there are lines of regularly-spaced holes drilled into the bark. Hillsborough, Orange Co., NC 6/1/08.
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| Bark of a large tree. Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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| Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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| Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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| Menard, TX 4/24/2011.
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More information:
Bioimages
Floridata
US Forest Service Silvics Manual
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Recommended Tree, Shrub, and Woody Vine Identification Guides
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