the pecan tree has been an american icon for over two hundred years. before europeans came to north america, native americans were aware of, and regularly ate, fruit from the pecan tree. pecan trees are deciduous, losing their leaves in mid-november. once planted, the pecan tree can live and bear fruit for over three hundred years. they reach enormous heights, the highest of which is a reported 180 ft. as a member of the hickory family of trees, the pecan is not a true nut but a drupe (fruit with a single stone or pit). this makes the fruit similar to that of coffee shrubs, olive trees, and date palms. thomas jefferson wrote about and cared for an entire orchard of pecan trees, and he spread his love of the tree and its fruit to other founding fathers, namely george washington. pecan trees have only recently been cultivated on a large scale by growers, mainly because the pecan nut is a healthy food that is high in both protein and unsaturated fats. dieticians say that eating a handful of pecans every day is enough to lower unwanted, bad cholesterol as much as some prescription medications. not only are pecans good for cholesterol, but they also to prevent heart disease. pecans are also regularly used in dishes and desserts, the most famous of which is the very american pecan pie.

select the correct answer.
what is the best way to describe the author's purpose in writing this piece?
a.
to describe the way early people cultivated pecans
b.
to inform readers about the pecan tree and its fruit
c.
to persuade readers to plant and grow pecan trees
d.
to entertain with a story about thomas jefferson