The Pecan (Carya illinoinensis, commonly misspelled illinoensis) is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois and Indiana east to western Kentucky and western Tennessee, south through Oklahoma, Arkansas, to Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana; and in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Vera Cruz. It is a large deciduous tree, growing to 20–40 m in height (rarely to 44 m, Uses The nuts of the Pecan are edible, with a rich, buttery flavor. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooking, particularly in sweet desserts but also in some savory dishes. One of the most common desserts with the pecan as a central ingredient is the pecan pie, a traditional southern U.S. recipe. Pecans are also a major ingredient in praline candy, most often associated with New Orleans. In addition to the pecan nut, the wood is also used in making furniture, in hardwood flooring, as well as flavoring fuel for smoking meats. Cultivation Pecans were one of the most recently domesticated major crops. Although wild pecans were well-known among the colonial Americans as a delicacy, the commercial growing of pecans in the United States didn't begin until the 1880s. Today, the U.S. produces between 80% and 95% of the world's pecans, with an annual crop of 150–200 thousand tonnes. The nut harvest for growers is typically around mid-October. Historically, the leading Pecan-producing state in the U.S. has been Georgia, followed by Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma; they're also grown in Arizona. Outside the United States, pecans are grown in Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Peru and South Africa. They can be grown approximately from USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9, provided summers are also hot and humid. Pecan trees may live and bear edible nuts for more than three hundred years. They are mostly self-incompatible, because most cultivars, being clones derived from wild trees, show incomplete dichogamy. Generally, two or more trees of different cultivars must be present to pollenize each other. Diseases Nutrition Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats. A diet rich in nuts can lower the risk of gallstones in women. The antioxidants and plant sterols found in pecans reduce high cholesterol by reducing the (bad) LDL cholesterol levels. Clinical research published in the Journal of Nutrition (September 2001) found that eating about a handful of pecans each day may help lower cholesterol levels similar to what is often seen with cholesterol-lowering medications. Research conducted at the University of Georgia has also confirmed that pecans contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged this and related research and approved the following qualified health claim: "Scientific evidence suggests, but doesn't prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." "This nut is an important source of ellagic acid. Pecan nuts are a good low fat source of vitamin E and also have anti-cancer effects. They can also, if eaten correctly, lead to lower cholesterol levels." Symbolism In 1906, Texas Governor James Stephen Hogg made the Pecan tree the state tree of Texas. The story goes that Hogg had a Pecan tree planted at his grave instead of a traditional headstone, requesting that the nuts be distributed throughout the state to make Texas a "Land of Trees". Etymology The word pecan is noted as having an origin from the Native American Algonquin tribe, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. The pronunciation of pecan is a source of friendly dispute among aficionados. Some people say [pə.ˈkɑn], while others say [ˈpiː.kæn].… (More on Pecan) Branze (branze.com) is a revolutionary new kind of search engine. With it you can find just about anything you would want to find from a decent serach engine but it also learns from its users. Whenever you click through to a search result or choose to thumb one up then it's rank in the search engine increases. When you thumb down a result its rank decreases. To avoid manipulation you can only vote on any URL once in any day. This feature alone ensures that results that lie a little lower down among those returned can work their way up to their rightful position, or be pushed down if they aren't that good. That means that real people get to improve the relevance of all results returned, something a computer is, as yet, unable to do fully to a human's satisfaction. 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