Rich and distinctive in flavour and texture, the pecan has one of the highest fat contents of any vegetable product and a caloric value close to that of butter. Its production is the basis of a considerable industry in the southeastern United States. The pecan may be eaten raw, sweetened or salted. It is widely used in pastries, such as coffee cakes, and often in conjunction with chocolate. In the southeastern United States the pecan pie, consisting of pecans baked in a clear custard, and the pecan praline candy are traditional sweets.
Native pecan trees occur in the United States (near the Rio Grande in Texas, and in Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, and occasionally Alabama). Limited cultivation of grafted varieties had begun in Louisiana by 1847; some important varieties were introduced before 1890. Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi are today the most important producers of grafted pecan nuts. The pecan has been introduced into many countries; it is cultivated to a limited extent in Australia and South Africa.
Horticultural crops: vegetables and legumes, fruits and nuts, flowers
Confectionery and candy production