Georgia Department of Agriculture, Gary W. Black, Commissioner, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30334, www.agr. georgia.gov. Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter.

Q: I have several pecans on my property. One has flavor that is a little like a hickory nut. Are hickories and pecans related? Could this be a hybrid?

A: Size and flavor vary among pecans. Having a hickory-like flavor is not proof it is a hybrid. However, pecans and hickories are closely related and they can hybridize. Both belong to the genus Carya. The nuts of pecan hickory hybrids (at least the firstgeneration hybrids) usually look a little like both parents. They may have long nuts (more like a typical pecan) with shells that are hard (like a hickory). The hybrids between hickories and pecans are called hicans.

Hicans, like all hybrids, may have qualities (good and bad) of both parents. There are several species of hickories; some produce nuts that are not worth gathering and eating. For example, the mockernut hickory has a very thick shell with little meat inside. It “mocks” the more desirable shagbark hickory. The best varieties of hicans combine the good qualities of both parents and are valuable because they can be grown farther north in the United States than regular pecans.

Q: What are kumquats and how do you eat them? A friend brought me some from Thomasville. Are they grown commercially in Georgia?

A: The kumquat is a close relative of oranges and other citrus fruits. The fruit looks like a small, oval to oblong orange. (There are round kumquats, but they are not commonly available here.) Kumquats may be eaten fresh, pickled, candied, as a garnish or used to make marmalades, jellies, chutneys and sauces. The fruit goes especially well with chicken and ham. Kumquats are also used to flavor bread, cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, sherbet and cheesecake. They are a popular gift for the Chinese New Year.

The entire kumquat is eaten. In fact, the rind is the sweetest part, and the center flesh of a raw kumquat would be too tart to eat on its own.

Most commercial kumquat orchards in the United States are in Florida, Texas and California. We know of no commercial growers in Georgia, but kumquats are grown in gardens in the milder southern part of the state and may be grown in greenhouses and sunrooms anywhere.

Q: Is it true that leftover onions are poisonous? I received an e-mail that claimed they are. It seemed legitimate.

A: No. It most certainly is not true. We received the same e-mail or one similar to it. It has been making the rounds for several years. The adage “Believe half of what you see; some or none of what you hear” needs to be updated to include e-mail.

If you have questions about services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, visit our website at www.agr. georgia.gov or write us at 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 227, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail us at info@agr.georgia.gov. To learn more about agricultural issues, get garden tips and find sources for flowers, livestock and other agricultural products, consider a subscription to The Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin. Subscriptions for Georgia residents are $10 per year. To start or renew a subscription, send a check or money order payable to Market Bulletin at the address above.