The original Elliot pecan tree was a seedling found in the early 1900s by, as you might have guessed, a Florida farmer named Mr. Elliot. Over the years, the variety's natural immunity to fungus attacks, its propensity for bearing consistently high-quality nuts and its buttery flavor have become well-known, yet it remains unpopular with most growers. The reason is simple: Elliot pecans aren't easy.
Not only is the variety a bit of a late bloomer, it also tends to produce heavy crops only in alternating years if not thinned out every August. That means growers have to tend to Elliots more than other pecan trees. What's more, those heavy harvests are full of relatively small nuts with thick and hard-to-crack shells - which have little appeal to the international export market relied on by commercial growers.
It's telling that none of that deters us here at Pearson. The extra work. The small size. The stubborn shells. None of that stops us from being some of the world's most ardent Elliot fans. The mellow, buttery taste and silky textures are just that: delicious. We continue to increase our acreage of Elliots because they are simple the best pecans to eat.
While industrial farming may prioritize efficiency and appearance, our family has and always will focus on flavor. That philosophy is as obvious in every remarkable bite of a Pearson Peach as it is in every incredible handful of beautiful, buttery Elliot peans.
