Tremendous Teamwork & North American Natives- Pecan
Hello and welcome to another episode of Rooted where this week we’re finishing up our holiday pie mini series and digging deep into a native nut I really ONLY think about this time of year- pecan.
When I started research for this show, I thought I knew A LOT more about this than I do- especially since they were a staple for so long, and are still so popular today.
Pecans are native specifically to the mid to southwest regions of the US, but have honestly spread all over. In the South West we still have TONS of pecan trees, which was a fun thing to get used to moving from the midwest- now I kind of can’t imagine not seeing groves of them when driving out in the middle of nowhere.
Anyway, Pecans are obviously best known as those kind of wrinkled looking nuts you find in pies and caramel this time of year, but ACTUALLY they come from kind of big gnarled looking trees with alternate pinnate leaves , and are very smooth fruits with a stripy outside- kind of like a more posh acorn? But without the beret… They bloom in spring like the rest of their juglandaceae family members, but don’t fully ripen for harvest until late summer through fall. They need a decent cold season but are very sensitive to frost on new growth, so they really do best in places with slightly more stable seasons (IE not the east coast with sea breezes)
As the only nut native to North America, it’s probably not a shock to learn that the United States produces 80% of the world’s supply of pecans.
Pecans are also a great example of mass fruiting, as Robin Wall-kilmer describes in her book “Braiding Sweetgrass in the chapter “The Gospel of Pecans” - the trees all seemingly band together- not just sharing resources through the mycelial network, but INFORMATION too- instead of fruiting when just one tree has the resources to do so, the trees all wait for one another- sharing resources to be every tree can fruit- ensuring the success of ALL trees rather than each individual, This is believed to be a strategy used to help plants with especially tasty fruit to ensure that a good number of seeds make it, since the odds of squirrels eating all 2 million pecans is a lot slimmer than them eating 200.
But it’s not just squirrels that have a relationship with Pecans.
In hasinai tradition, they have a story that explains how the oriel came to be so closely tied to pecan. Long ago, there was an oriel family who had long established their nest in the grasslands. One day, there was a particularly strong storm coming, and the father oriel was doing all he could to find a safe place to move his family before the storm. As the winds got stronger the father oriel was beginning to be blown around, but continued struggling against the breeze in search of safety. Seeing this, pecan shouted over the wind “I have a small hole in my lower branches- move your family there to stay safe. Quickly, the oriel moved his family in, and promised the tree he would return the favor. The pecan tree was doubtful, and afterall- he didn’t offer the space for anything in return. He assured the small bird it wasn’t necessary, but the bird insisted that someday he would return this kindness. A few months later, after the oriel had moved to avoid the cold, he got word that a late spring cold snap was coming to where pecan lived. He rushed to let pecan know about this cold front, knowing that his new green growth was very sensitive to the cold, and if the tree spent that energy on new growth and lost it, there was a good chance he might not be able to recover this year. And he got there just in time, stopping pecan before he sent his first leaves out. As soon as oriel had left, a huge freeze covered the land, but pecan was safe- and grateful to his dear friend oriel. From then on, the two did all they could to protect and provide for one another.
In another story by the kiowa people- as documented by GT bludworth, One day a very well-respected elder died, and when he passed on he continued to watch over his people, but was pursued and attacked by “the bad one” a malicious spirit who had hated him long before he arrived in the spirit world. After a long and bloody battle, the respected elder died, and his body plummeted back down onto the hunting lands of his people. While different looking, his people recognized him, and quickly buried him in the ground to protect him- a few weeks later a small green growth was poking out of the earth, and within a few years a large pecan tree grew in his resting place. The kiowa found that this tree produced nuts that were extremely tasty, kept for a long time, and even packed nicely. They were grateful, and set about planting more pecans across the land- keeping the memory of this elder alive.
As time went on, pecans would become an even more important symbol of protection, prosperity, and community as indigenous people were forcibly removed from their homelands and pushed out to the furthest and harshest corners of what is now the United States. As their language, food sources, and culture was slowly but surely stripped from them, one familiar friend stood to bring them comfort and nourishment- the pecan trees of the southwestern plains were there to provide shelter from the sweltering heat, food - especially carbs and healthy fats in periods of scarcity, and a reminder that while they might be disconnected from their homelands, they could still lean on the lands they now called home.
Medicinally, pecans were called on to treat ringworm and even Tuberculosis as that was sweeping across the United States. This was done by boiling the bark in water and drinking it like a tea- But I couldn't find any peer-reviewed studies as to how exactly this would have worked or what the active chemicals are. However, pecans in herbalism are said to have some hypoglycemic and anti-microbial/bacterial properties, and are also rich in a TON of vital vitamins and minerals.
Of course, that also makes them an AMAZING food resource, which is partially why we see them in so many things- especially this time of year. They also have a sweeter flavor when roasted, making them the perfect crunchy addition to bakers goods and candies, and a common addition into stews to add a richness and provide fatty acid which is essential for brain function!
Pecans were also used to make a strong and rather unique alcoholic beverage called Powcohicora which was described as being a fermented blend of ground pecan and water.
How made
Outside of ancient alcohol and seasonal baked goods, pecans are also useful in the garden and in art! For gardening, we often use pecan shells- a byproduct from the nuts to add acidity back to the soil here in the south west, as our water and the harsh sun tend to sip vital nutrients and acidity that plants need to properly uptake nutrients
On the art front, pecans are also sometimes used in dyes and ink, making them very useful for a variety of things.
That’s all I’ve got for this week, but next time you see a pecan- on the street or in the store, I hope you’ll take a moment to say hello, and thank it for providing so much kindness, especially in tough times.
Sources:
https://davidrweiss.com/2021/07/07/the-gospel-of-pecans/
https://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/tejas-legends-pecan-trees-best-friend.html
https://www.mseecreative.com/blog/2021/4/16/the-legacy-of-the-pecan
https://austinghosttours.com/kiowa-pecan-tree-legend/
https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_cail2.pdf
https://www.florajournal.com/archives/2017/vol5issue6/PartA/6-4-11-868.pdf
https://www.tmparksfoundation.org/plants-fungi/pecan-tree
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