The pecan tree is a tree native to North America. When the first European settlers crossed the sea to settle the New World, they found pecan trees located in many places throughout this new land. Since then, the pecan has become one of the most important orchard species in terms of area. Indians began using pecans almost 8,000 years ago in what is now Texas. The first budded pecan trees were produced in Louisiana in the mid-1800s, and orchards were established throughout the Southern states. The first recorded shipment of pecans to England was documented in 1761 by Spanish and European explorers (Anderson and Crocker, 2004). In 1917, a commercial shipment of pecans arrived from Georgia and since then, Georgia has been the leading producer of pecans. Although Georgia is the leading producer, in some years pecan harvests from wild trees in Oklahoma and Texas exceed Georgia's production. The life cycle of a pecan tree includes four main elements: germination, rooting, sprouting, and lifespan and reproduction. The many different elements of the pecan life cycle contribute to the growth and development of the pecans we see today. The life cycle of a pecan tree has many different elements. The cycle begins with the propagation and germination of seeds. Mature pecan trees produce and drop thousands of seeds on the ground during the fall season. Dispersal of these seeds can be by water, wind, or animals, but wind will eventually pollinate the seeds. Pecan seeds remain dormant throughout the winter and will begin their growing process in the spring. The seeds require an adequate amount of heat and rain throughout winter and early spring. Once the germination process is complete, the seed...... middle of paper ......l, Ted E. and Bruce W. Wood. “Movement of adult pecan weevils, Curculio caryae, in pecan orchards.” Agricultural and Forestry Entomology 10, no. 4 (November 2008): 363-373. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed April 18, 2012). Anderson, PC and TE Crocker. “The pecan tree.” Solutions for Your Life: University of Florida IFAS Extension (2004). Internet. April 18, 2012.Christman, Steve. “Floridata: Carya Illinoinensis.” FLORIDA. Floridata.com LC, August 30, 2000. Web. April 18, 2012. http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/cary_ill.cfm.Wells, Lenny. “Nutritional, Environmental, and Cultural Disorders of Pecan.” » University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (2010): 1-12. Internet. April 19, 2012. Ree, Bill. “Insect Pests of Pecans.” Pecan core. Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University. Internet. April 19, 2012. http://pecankernel.tamu.edu/pecan_insects/pests/index.html.