Hicans are hybrids between the Pecan (Carya illinoensis) and other Hickories, usually the shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) or the shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa) but we’ve got them from other hybridisations. The selected cultivars aim to have the hardiness of the hickory and the taste and productivity of the Pecan. They leaf out mid season in the uk (Mid April – May usually) and need a sunny sheltered site with plenty of room, they can grown to 15m+ high and wide.
We generally have 4-6 varieties available in very limited numbers, even more so now De Smallekamp are no more. In the USA they’re reptation varies widely depending on who you listen to, they can be very shy to fruit or prolific depending on location and surrounding trees I suspect.
Our first ones went in winter of 2018/19 and by 2025 are 3m+ in most cases, no flowers yet!
Images of nuts on blocks courtesy of Arie Bruin of De Acht Plagen
| Variety | Description | Available | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbott | Bitcan - Bitternut/Pecan cross with pecan flavour | None | |
| James | Hican from Missouri | Now | |
| McAllister | This variety produces huge, thin-shelled nuts, with extremely good flavor. Requires very early pecan or hican pollen to set a good crop of filled nuts. | Now | |
| Burton | Self-fertile and pretty prolific producer of medium size hickory flavoured buttery pecan nuts , produces after 7-10 years. Nuts drop free of husks. | Now | |
| Marquardt | Old Shellbark Hican from Illinois that is rarely available even in N.America, partly self-fertile with larger nuts but fully filled. | Now | |
| NT 92 (T-92) | Produces large nuts with a good quality kernel. Probably the best and most prolific hybrid, needs pollinating. |  | Now |
| Vernon | Found by Jim Wilson 12 miles N of Nevada, on a upland creek among pecan trees, nearest shellback hickory over half a mile. 46 nuts/lb, 50% kernel, very good taste, vigorous growth. | Now |