Texas Symbols, Health Nut: Pecan

Adopted on June16, 2001.

One of the state's most universally enjoyed natural resources is the pecan; the nut of this majestic tree, which was deservedly named the state tree of Texas in 1919, is a delicious food product with considerable nutritional and health benefits; and

Pecans contain protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated "healthy" oils, carbohydrates, fiber, iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium, as well as Vitamins A, B, C, and E and other antioxidants; scientific studies have also demonstrated that pecans can lower cholesterol, significantly contributing to improved cardiovascular health, while helping to reduce the risk of cancer; and a significant boon to the Lone Star State's economy, the pecan is grown commercially in more than 70 percent of the state's counties and Texas provides over a quarter of the nation's pecan crop.

Fruit: Large, oblong, brown, splotched with black, thin shelled nuts, 1 ½ to 2 inches long, husks are thin, usually occur in clusters on trees. Mature in September and October.

See State Tree: Pecan (Juglandaceae Carya illinoensis)
 

The Senate approved the Committee Substitute for Senate Concurrent Resolution (CSSCR) 2, which would designate the pecan "The Official Health Nut of Texas." The floor debate on CSSCR 2 was lengthy but light. After several humorous questions and observations from members of the Senate, Ratliff recognized Brown cautiously: "Sen. Brown, for what purpose, I'm afraid to ask."

"I thought Sen. Moncrief was the official health nut of the Senate," Brown replied.

Horseshoe Bay Sen. Troy Fraser, the sponsor of CSSCR 2, summed up the debate on the resolution: "It's a rather nutty bill."