The Pecan tree - Carya illinoinensis

The Pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) is native to North America. The pictures in this post are from a tree in the “Jardin Botanico-Historico, La Concepción” in Malaga, Spain. This tree species was brought to Europe by the Spanish explorer “Cabeza de Vaca” in the 16^th century.

This tree is the source of Pecan nuts which along with Pistachios are my favorite nuts. I am particularly fond of fresh home-made Pecan pie. My mother used to make one for me on my birthday.
So you can image my delight when I found a Pecan tree with the nuts fully formed and ready for picking. I had always wanted to know what the tree was like and what the nut looked like before it is picked.
These images illustrate what the nut looks like on the tree and also when they are opened. They are good eating raw or roasted.