Carya illinoinensisIndiana Native
Pecan

Family:

Juglandaceae (Walnut Family) 11

Genus:

Carya (Hickory Pecan Hican) 8

Plant Type:

Tree 569

Growth Forms:

Upright 572

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 5 252

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 838

Flower Notes:

Green (Green-yellow monoecious flowers in spring; not ornamentally important)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Medium green to yellow-green summer foliage); Brown (Poor yellow-brown fall color)

Stem Notes:

stout, olive-brown, pubescent

Fruit Notes:

Brown (Nuts encased in a green husk that matures to brown and splits open when ripe; appear in summer and ripen in fall)

Ultimate Height:

70-100 feet

Ultimate Spread:

40-75 feet

Bloom Times:

Light Requirements:

Soil Water Requirements:

Medium 197

Soil Notes:

Prefers deep, rich, moist, well-drained soils

Range:

Eastern United States and into Mexico

Maintenance:

Medium 79

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Leaves (12-20" long) are alternate, oddly pinnately compound, with 9-17 serrated and pointed leaflets, each 4-7" long by 1-3" wide. Buds are ovoid, dark brown, and pubescent.

Ecological Functions:

Special Characteristics:

Additional Information

The Pecan is a tall, straight-trunked tree and is the largest of the hickories. It is well-known for its sweet, edible nuts and because of this, it is an important horticultural crop in the south, where it produces fruit most abundantly. However, it is not generally recommended for use in the landscape, due to its pest susceptibility and litter problem. With its large taproot, it can also be quite difficult to transplant.