A Pecan Tree Grows At Mount Vernon

Those who visit the Mount Vernon Estate may have noticed the majestic pecan tree on the grounds of the estate. 

The 140 foot tall, 160 year old pecan tree stands tall next to the mansion and overlooks the Potomac River.

This just isn't any old tree — it has some historical significance to Mount Vernon. 

Today marks the anniversary of the planting of pecan trees by George Washington at Mount Vernon. 

"What is nice about the tree is that Washington is the first person to plant it in this country," said  Dean Norton, Mount Vernon Estate horticulturalist. "He mentions in his letters his desire to grow more. He grew some in the botanical garden and planted pecan nuts in the nursery." 

Thomas Jefferson sent George Washington a bunch of pecan nuts from Philadelphia in the late 1700s, Norton added. 

This particular tree is a seedling pecan tree not grown to produce hearty pecans, said Norton. Most pecan trees in the country are grafted for nut production. Still, visitors from the two largest pecan producing states visit the Estate to catch a glimpse of the tree, said Norton. 

“The two largest pecan states in the country are Texas and Georgia,” said Norton. “We get people coming from those states to check out the tree.”

If you look closely, you can see that the tree leans slightly towards the Potomac. This was the result of a storm of “Biblical proportions” during the early 1900s that bent the tree about 40 degrees. 

"The tree was about 40 to 50 years old, so they put it on a winch and pulled it up to a point," said Norton. "They used wires that were attached to concrete blocks in the ground." 

There were two pecan trees on the grounds of the Estate, but one was knocked out during Hurricane Isabel, said Norton. 

Does this tree still produce pecans? Yes, it does, said Norton.

"It still produces pecans, but no one would make a pecan pie with them," said Norton. "Every third year we get a good crop."