Carya illinoinensis

Northern Pecan
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

70-100' tall and 40-75' wide. Can grow to 150' tall & 110' wide under ideal conditions. Develops a rounded to broad-oval crown w/ symmetric branching. Slow to medium growth rate, to 75' after 80 years, but is actually the fastest grower of the hickories. Long-lived, often to 300 years.

Native Range

Kentucky Native — Native from Iowa to Indiana to Alabama, Texas & Mexico. Native in a few extreme southwestern counties of Kentucky. Generally found along the rivers within the native regions. Introduced into cultivation in 1760.

Flower and Fruit Details

Monoecious flowers in April/May, as new leaves emerge, with 3-4" yellow-green male catkins, pendulous, in 3's. A light brown, cylindrical, edible nut is enclosed by a thin, 4-sectioned, winged husk, 1.5-2" long. The green husk changes from green to black when ripe. If grown for nut production, plant at least 2 different varieties for cross-pollination.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: Alternate leaves, 12-20" long, pinnately compound, with 9-21 leaflets, each 4-7" long & 1-3" wide, dark green & glossy, finely serrated, often glandular & tomentose when young, turning glabrous later in the season. Leaves change color from medium green in the spring to dark yellow-green in summer to golden yellow-brown in the fall. Bark is slate gray to brownish-black, becoming scaly or shallowly furrowed w/ age.

Culture and Care

Transplant as a small B&B tree in March. The long taproot makes it very difficult to transplant. Performs best on deep, moist, well-drained soils, but tolerates clay & sandy soils in a pH range from 6.6-7.5. Zones 5-9. Must have full sun. Not drought-tolerant. Sensitive to de-icing salt and 2,4-D herbicide drift. Tolerates juglone in soil from nearby black walnut trees. 40 different insects & diseases attack pecan trees, most are not serious to long-term tree health, but may cause leaf drop in the landscape. Scab fungus can affect leaves & nuts. Aphids, scale & weevils may be a problem.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Produces edible nuts, the best of any of the hickories. 3-season interest: Spring, summer & fall. It takes 8-10 years for seedling-grown trees to start producing nuts.

Suggested Uses

Shade tree/nut tree for edible nuts. Not a good tree for the manicured home landscape, due to various insect & disease problems, & produces a high amount of litter.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA

The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.

  • Carya illinoinensis 'Colby' // Colby Northern Pecan
    Tree. Introduced in 1957. The seedling-grown 'Colby' has a medium-large, oval nut, w/ 60 nuts/pound, a thick-shelled pecan that is 45% kernel, 160 days to ripen, but the grafted form of 'Colby' is thin-shelled, heavy-producing, w/ sweet, meaty nuts. Cross-pollination with another variety, such as 'Major' or 'Peruque' will assure heavy fruit/nut set. Gets at least 30-40' tall and wide, but may get 60-100' tall after several decades. Tolerates pH 5.6-7.5. Nuts ripen in Sept/October. Good for wetlands and stream bank restoration. Adapts well to many soil types. Quite tolerant of drought, insects and diseases. Also is a good pollinator for other pecans. Zone 6(5)-8.
    BT001588

  • Carya illinoinensis 'Greenriver' // Greenriver Northern Pecan
    Tree. Good scab resistance. Performs well in the Ohio Valley. Gets 50-70' tall. First harvest of nuts 3-6 years after planting. To insure good cross-pollination and nut production, plant at least one protandrous and one protogynous variety. Originated in Henderson County, Kentucky, near the Green River, where the 'Major' Pecan was also found. Yields 60-70 nuts per pound, with a medium-large sized nut, which is high quality and thin shelled. Nuts easily crack out whole halves. Nuts need 185 days to mature
    BT001653

  • Carya illinoinensis 'Major' // Major Northern Pecan
    Tree. Good scab resistance. Performs well in the Ohio Valley. Gets 50-70' tall. First harvest of nuts 3-6 years after planting. To insure good cross-pollination and nut production, plant at least one protandrous and one protogynous variety. The original 'Major' Pecan was found near the Green River at the Ohio River, near Henderson, Kentucky. This is a heavy annual-bearing pecan variety, producing medium-sized nuts (60-80/pound). Nuts are rounded, thin-shelled and easy to crack, with a wonderful flavor. This is a heavy, early pollen producer, Type 1, and it takes 180 days to mature the nuts.
    BT001654