DO PECANS HAVE FLOWERS?

DO PECANS HAVE FLOWERS? Yes, pecan have flowers. Most people don’t notice the pecan flower. Pecans have incomplete flowers in that the male and female parts are on different structures or what biologist call dichogamy. The absence of petals on the female flower causes this small, but important organ to go unnoticed. Female flowers existing as spikes on the side of the shoot near its apex have the potential of developing into nuts the grower hopes to harvest in 7 months. Without female flowers there are no nuts. Pecan trees should be breaking bud anytime now. There are fortunately two or three buds at each node on a shoot. The bud nearest the terminal end of the shoot usually is the most prominent and is known as the primary bud. The others are reserve buds and usually will not grow unless the primary bud or shoot with the primary but is destroyed by freeze, insects or other enemies. Thus pecans unlike fruit trees have a second chance to flower, and in some case a third chance after a late freeze or other damage. One caution however the secondary bud may produce female, but not male flowers when regrowth occurs following the loss of primary shoots. The number of secondary bud which sprouts may depend on how much carbohydrates are available in the root system of the tree. So if last year was an on year, had lots of nuts, and the trees was stressed it did not store a sufficient amount of carbohydrate before going dormant. This results in fewer secondary buds that will break. The variety of pecan determines when the male flower will shed pollen so production may be reduced after a late freeze. Fortunately Eddy county and most of New Mexico grow Western Schley with Wichita as pollinators and they shed their pollen in late April early May. Depending how Wichita trees are nearby may actually increase the number flowers that settle to produce a pecan. While the female flower is receptive a viscous fluid covers the uneven surface of the stigma which retains the pollen grains carried by wind, thus pollination. When receptivity has passed the stigmas are hard and brown. However, fertilization (union of the gamete and egg) can take place for 5 to seven weeks after pollination. For more on the flowering habits of pecan trees see guide H-622, click on publication from our web page http://eddyextension.nmsu.edu/ . This Thursday March 29 at 7:00 in the Extension Office there will be a Pecan Round Table topic such as this will be discussed. If you are in need of special assistance due to a disability in order to participate please contact the Eddy County Extension Office 887-6595 before Wednesday March 28. Subscribe to Eddy County Ag news at: http://nmsueddyag.blogspot.com/ Eddy County Extension Service, New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. All programs are available to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Eddy County Government Cooperating.