Portal:Illinois

Carya illinoinensis, commonly called the pecan, is a species of hickory native to Mexico and the south central and southeastern United States. The pecan tree is a large deciduous tree, growing to 20–40 m (66–131 ft) in height. A pecan, like the fruit of all other members of the hickory genus, is not truly a nut, but is technically a drupe, a fruit with a single stone or pit surrounded by a husk. The seeds of the pecan are edible with a rich, buttery flavor.

Before European settlement, pecans were widely consumed and traded by Native Americans. They can provide two to five times more calories per unit weight than wild game and require no preparation. As a wild forage, the fruit of the previous growing season is commonly still edible when found on the ground. Thomas Jefferson planted Carya illinoinensis, known as "Illinois nuts", in his nut orchard at Monticello in Virginia. George Washington reported in his journal that Jefferson had given him "Illinois nuts", which he then grew at Mount Vernon. (Read more...)

Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the

• ... that although Olga Hartman believed that her basic research on marine worms had no practical value, it was applied to experimental studies of oysters?
• ... that Jack Washburn was called "Cinderella Boy" for winning a starring role in his first Broadway show?

• ... that four course records were broken during the 2023 Chicago Marathon (women's winner pictured)?
• ... that the restaurant CosMc's is named after a character from McDonaldland?
• ... that Salty Parker, who spent 60 years in organized baseball, described his lifelong love of the game as "a beautiful disease"?
• ... that authorities said the
  2023 Israel–Hamas war
  ?