Gustav Duerler was an entrepreneur in search of a product. Hitting upon the idea of pecan candy, which Texans adored, he started his business in San Antonio in the late 1800s.

Commercial pecan growers were in short supply, but millions of wild pecan trees grew in Texas, so Duerler asked Native Americans to supply him. The nuts arrived wrapped in deerskins. Lacking modern machinery, he used a railroad spike to crack the nuts and a sack needle to extract the meat.

Native Americans quickly had recognized the trading potential of the nut. As they journeyed their trading routes, they planted pecan trees. When the trees began to bear, they timed their travels to take advantage of the harvest. The pecans paid for goods they couldn’t make themselves.

They also made pecan milk by pounding the nuts with a mortar and pestle, adding water, and stirring them into a nourishing beverage. This was an ideal energy food for infants and elders because it was easy to digest.

For some, the pecan tree was akin to the Great Spirit. The Texas Mariame tribe ate them exclusively for two months every year. Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca (“head of a cow”) was shipwrecked in 1528 and held captive by the Mariame for six years. In his account, he wrote that the pecan “is the subsistence of the people for two months of the year without any other thing.”

Thomas Jefferson, who had a great interest in gardening, transplanted some Mississippi Valley pecan trees to his home in Monticello.

In 1775, he gave some to George Washington, who planted them at his home. A favorite nut of both presidents, pecans could often be found in George Washington’s pockets.

Three of those original trees still thrive on the property at Mount Vernon.

In the mid-1800s, a Louisiana slave named Antoine developed a method of grafting that increased the tree’s productivity. Antoine was noted for developing the variety called “Centennial” at the Oak Alley Plantation. There are now about 500 varieties of cultivated pecan trees.

Medical researchers have found that the sterols in the nuts can lower cholesterol. In addition, pecans contain phytochemicals that offer antioxidant protection.

Maybe we can even fool ourselves into believing that the beloved Thanksgiving dessert is good for us?

Pecan, the nut of wealth, is also a symbol of southern hospitality. It is reputed to have the power of drawing employment and money to you.

Never mind the money – can someone please pass the pie?

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.