Pecan trees are a wonderful addition to any yard, farm, or field. The trees grow big and spread their leaves up to 75 feet across. They are beautiful trees perfect for family estates or long, rolling farm fields. They provide shade, they clean the air, and perhaps most importantly, they provide us with pecans.
Pecans are delicious and can be used for a wide variety of cooking purposes. They can be baked into pies, crumbled on top of cookies, or even eaten all by themselves. And the fact that they can come straight from a tree growing in your backyard makes the experience that much more rewarding.
These trees can be purchased from a variety of places, but the state of Georgia has become known as the eminent source for pecan trees. Places like the Georgia Pecan Nursery provide the opportunity to get a Georgia-grown pecan tree of your own.
But why is Georgia the best place for a pecan tree nursery? Turns out it’s a mixture of a long, rich history and hospitable environmental factors. Let’s explore more and find out.
Georgia Pecan Nursery has a variety of tree options. Visit us today to see what we have for you to bring home.
History
Pecans were originally found in northern Mexico and southern US states. “Pecan” is derived from an Algonquin word that was used to describe all nuts that needed to be cracked with a stone. They quickly fell into favor because they were easy to shell and tasted great. Although pecans were planted in other areas earlier, they were being planted in the US by the late 1700s.
Pecans would eventually be commercially grown in 15 different US states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
America in general is responsible for anywhere from 80% to 95% of the world’s pecans. The US produces between 150 and 200 thousand tons of pecans annually. And even though many states are historically great places to grow pecan trees, Georgia managed to become the leading producer of pecans in the 1950s. They have not lost the title since.
Farmers in Georgia didn’t begin to seriously plant and harvest the crop until after the Civil War. By the turn of the 20th century, real estate developers were selling thousands of acres of pecan trees. Articles covering the emergence of the crop began circulating nation-wide. Georgia farmers began embracing new technology and methods of growing the trees until their ascent became a national phenomenon. The industry has only continued to grow ever since.
Why Georgia?
The climate in Georgia is perfect to promote growth of the pecan tree. The trees thrive in hardiness zones 6 through 9, which includes Georgia. They can survive in zone 5, but they won’t produce nuts.
Dougherty County is the center of pecan production in Georgia. They have more pecan trees than any other county in the nation. Their orchards range from a few acres in size all the way up to several thousand acres. There are so many pecan trees in the area that it has become known as the “pecan capital of the world.”
Georgia now averages around 88 million pounds of pecans per year. The climate combined with fertile soil makes Georgia a wonderful place for a pecan tree to grow and flourish. Generations of growing, caring for, and harvesting pecan trees has resulted in an industry that makes a worldwide impact with its productivity.
A Tree of Your Own
You don’t have to be a commercial farmer with a hundred acres of trees to get in on the action yourself. You can participate in this long, rich history of Georgia pecan trees by planting and growing one of your own.
In fact, you don’t even have to be in Georgia. Georgia Pecan Nursery can package and ship bulk orders of pecan trees directly to you. Enjoy the fertile and rich history of Georgia pecan trees right in your backyard.
Pecan trees have a special place in the history of our country. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin were very enthusiastic about planting pecan trees. The beautiful cover, delicious pecans, and deep history of these trees make it a great addition to your property.
Are you ready to join the history of pecan trees? Well there’s no better place to get one than a Georgia pecan tree nursery. Visit Georgia Pecan Nursery to browse their various types of trees and order one of your own.