Pecan Nut Trees varieties for sale include Dwarf Pecan Trees the popular Northern type trees, Stuart and the Missouri Hardy Pecan. However a lot more than these are available including dwarf varieties from growers and online suppliers
Pecan Tree Varieties
With many varieties of pecan trees (carya illinoiensis) available for sale the most popular are: Elliot, Burcket, Candy, Choctaw, Giles, Hirschi, Jackson, Forkert, Hican, James, Mahan, Oconee which is suited to more Northern States, Pawnee, Stuart, Sumner and Desirable Pecan Trees. These are often referred to as ‘paper shell varieties’.
Pollination and Fertility
Pecan trees can be self fertile and some varieties such as Mohawk are better than others. However, all varieties require cross-pollination to produce good crops. So for good yells of nuts you will need two varieties and Pawnee is a good variety for this, especially where you are growing short season varieties..
How to Plant Pecan Trees
- Pecan trees are best planted in a well prepared soil and in a sunny position.
- These are large trees with a deep taproot so good deep well trained soil is essential.
- In the home garden plant pecan tree at around 50ft apart. In orchards where they are pruned and thinned plant at around 20 – 25ft apart.
- Bare-root trees are best planted innate fall to early winter. Container grown trees can be planted from fall through to spring.
- From planting to good nut production will take around 7 years, growth rate is considered as medium.
Planting Your Pecan
- Dig the soil over well to a depth of around 3ft deep and 3ft wide.
- Dig some well rotted compost into the soil and add some aged cow manure.
- Plant the tree at the same depth it was in the container.
- Stake the tree to prevent wind damage.
- Water in well with a liquid seaweed fertilizer.
- Mulch around the tree using a good organic mulch.
Other Information
Pecan trees are native to North America and provide a valuable commercial crop. Growing to over 100ft tall at maturity the pecan tree is also the State tree of Texas. Pecan nut trees are a deciduous tree usually available for sale in fall and winter, often sold with a root ball.
Pecan trees take up to 8 years to produce commercial quantities of nuts and although they produce both male and female flowers on the same tree they do need to be planted in close proximity to another variety suitable to be a cross pollinator.
‘Desirable’ with its long flowering period is the variety of Pecan Tree that seems to be most often used as pollinator.
Pecan Nut Trees do not tolerate poorly drained soils.
Pecan Tree Varieties and growing Zones
In general Pecans are a hardy tree and will grow from zones 4-10 depending on variety. Hican and James will grow from zones 4-9. Elliot and Forkert require zones 8-10, most common growing zone is 6-9.
Self thinning pecan varieties naturally drop some of the nuts and this leads to larges nut size and better quality nuts as overcrowding is avoided and nutrients are not as widely spread.
Some varieties available for sale such as Elliot, are better suited to warmer areas, Elliot is also an excellent shade tree, drought tolerant and with a dense canopy.
At the other extreme is the hardy Stuart, a cold tolerant variety that will produce excellent quality nuts when it matures. Pawnee is another cold tolerant variety used as a cross pollinator for Stuart.
Information before buying a Pecan Tree
With its long tap root the pecan tree is seen as drought tolerant and relatively pest and disease free.
Sold both as an excellent as a long lived shade tree as well as valuable nut producing tree they are a tall tree that will reach well over 35m and have a large canopy. Probably not suited to very small gardens they are long lived and readily available for sale.
If you are considering buying a pecan tree for nut production you may need to ensure that a ‘cross pollinator’ is planted as well unless your neighbours have suitable varieties.
Before purchasing consult with your supplier as to the right variety for your zone, suitability for planting in the desired position and cross pollination requirements.
Pecan trees are available for sale from the following specialist nurseries.
STARK Bro’s NURSERIES& ORCHARDS Co.
PO Box 1800 Louisiana MO 63353 – phone: 1-800-325-4180
Originators of Red and Golden Delicious apples. Full line of fruit, Apricots, Berries, Cherries, Nectarines, Pears, Grapes, Nuts, shade and flowering trees, shrubs roses and small fruits.Includes: Walnuts, Carpathian English Walnut, Lake English Walnut, Black Walnut and others
www.starkbros.com
GRIMO NUT NURSERY
Persian and Black Walnut, Heartnut, Butternut,Apricot, Chestnut, Hazelnut, Pecan, Hickory, Ginkgo, Pine nut, Mulberry, Persimmon, Paw Paw, Fig and many more.
www.grimonut.com
