Carya illinoinensis – Hardy Pecan

Hardy Pecan Tree is a Hickory native to the area around the Mississippi river and Northern Mexico.  Grows 50-100 feet tall and has a large, rounded crown and dark green foliage.

This majestic tree is a beautiful shade tree for large landscapes and parks—and female flowers produce good-sized, thin-shelled nuts. Pecans are known for their brittle branches, prone to breakage during wind storms. 

Pecan leaves are odd-pinnate, compound leaves, with each leaf having 9-17 pointed leaflets. Leaflets range from 2-7” long. Leaves mature to yellow green in summer, eventually turning yellow brown in fall. Non-showy, monoecious greenish yellow flowers appear in April-May, the male flowers in pendulous catkins (to 4” long) and the female flowers in short spikes.

For the best performance, plant the Hardy Pecan Tree in moist, well-drained soils, full sun, to part shade.  It has a high drought tolerance.