Pecan
Pecan
–
Carya illinoinensis
40
–
50 feet
40
–
50 feet
East-central U.S.
Central Texas
Texas
Full Shade
Full Sun
Part Sun/Shade
Medium
Flowering
Birds
Hummingbirds
Previous
Next
About This Plant
Deciduous sun or shade, with fragrant hickory leaves and a huge, shapely trunk. Probably the tallest-growing tree in Texas. Pecan grows slowly and needs lots of time, space, and deep soil. It litters heavily and tends to drop large branches in wind, so it’s not always appropriate for smaller landscapes, power lines, or dry upland sites. However, it provides the kind of dappled summer shade that’s appreciated by many old-fashioned gardeners and garden plants. If you’ve got healthy established pecans in the yard, you probably have fairly deep soil and maybe even happy St. Augustine grass.
Pecan is one of the most recently domesticated major crops. There is no agreement as to the proper pronunciation of the name.
Maintenance
Pruning is always optional. Cuts should only be made at a bud or branch; in general, focus on minimizing dead, damaged, or rubbing branches. As with any tree, remove no more than 25% of the total canopy during any five-year cycle. To maintain a healthy specimen, leave the upper 2/3 of the trees height uncut, and never remove more than the lowest third of the tree in a single pruning period — for example on a 12-foot tree, stick to the lowest 4 feet.
Mulch with about 2″ of woodchips or pine bark wherever possible. (In general, a tree’s mulched area should be six feet at minimum.)
Pecan is a heavy litterer, especially after big storms.
Features
Plant Type:
Large Tree
Size:
40-50' H, 40-50' W
Sunlight Requirements:
Full Shade, Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade
Soil Types:
Clay, Sandy
Wildlife:
Birds, Hummingbirds
Flower Color:
Green, Yellow
Bloom Time:
April
Freeze Hardy:
Yes
Invasive:
No
Caution:
None
Coupon Eligible:
No
This plant goes well with
Stenotaphrum secundatum
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