Pecans (Carya illinoensis) are generally central southern US trees but there are varieties that have been selected for their ability to fruit in more Northern states (up to Canada) with as little as 160 frost free days. These are know as Northern or Ultra Northern Pecans.
Like the Hicans, Pecans and Hickories 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 in the USA but are unlikely to reach that size here, probably 10-12m.
It is recommended that you order at least 2-3 trees to ensure pollination. We can advise on Type 1 or 2 pollination types and recommended combinations.
Images of nuts on blocks courtesy of Arie Bruin of De Acht Plagen
| Pecans | Pollination Group | Available to order | |
| Busseron | Selected in 1907 by M.J. Niblack Indiana USA, nut ellipse shaped, core well filled, the nut is golden, blooms mid-season, high pollen production. "Nuts closely resemble 'Indiana', of which Busseron may be parent" | 1 | None |
| Campbell NC4 | An improvement over 'Colby', its parent, a northern pecan from Illinois. It was selected by Doug Campbell of the Niagara area. It is medium in nut size and good cracking. It ripens late October and tends to bear good crops 2 out of 3 years | 1 | September 2025 |
| Carlson 3 | One of our earliest ripening cultivars but the nut is small. It cracks out in halves fairly well. Recommended for short season areas and a good partner for 'Snaps'. | 2 | September 2025 |
| Colby | Good strong tree structure, produces early season. Good medium large thin shelled nuts (60 / lb). | 2 | September 2025 |
| Deerstand | The nuts are small at 101 per pound but, they shell well and have good color and eating qualities. | 2 | None |
| Hark | XL thin shelled nut ( 61/ lb and 56% kernel) Hark is a type 1 tree. Nuts have a thick husk that does not release the nuts until after a hard freeze similar to Major and Kanza, shaggy bark much like Major. | 1 | September 2025 |
| Hausman | From Posey County Indiana, a very large nut weighing in at 30 to 40 nuts per pound. Cold hardy enough to withstand Indiana's winters and is labelled the Northern Mahan. | 1 | None |
| James Early | Thin shelled, medium size nut (90 / lb). New 1991 bred variety, crops early September. | 1 | None |
| Kanza | Incredibly disease-resistant! This towering tree will provide expansive shade and produce large yields of golden-kernel, flavor-packed nuts – even in northern pecan regions. Selected specifically for disease-resistance to pecan scab as well as other diseases and pests. Heat-tolerant. Ripens in mid to late October. Best pollinators: Pawnee or Peruque. 185-190 DAYS | 2 | None |
| Lucas | A good producer of medium size nuts. The tree was discovered in Ohio. The nuts fill well, are good cracking and ripen late October | 2 | None |
| Major | Great flavour, medium sized pecan of excellent quality and a high oil content. (77 / lb). Type 1, parent of Kanza. | 1 | September 2025 |
| Martzahn | Small nuts, ultra northern variety | 2 | September 2025 |
| Mullahy | The largest pecan of Iowa origin yet found, the nut cracks out into perfect halves and is of excellent quality. The tree shows some evidence of hybridization with hickories (Carya spp.). Early reports indicate that it can ripen in New York, Michigan and Ontario. This is one of a group of cultivars that succeed in the very northern limits of pecan production, and so is more likely to succeed in Britain | 2 | None |
| Pawnee | "The breed is a controlled cross between 'Mohawk' and 'Starkling Hardy Giant'. From 1963, only planted in 1984 in the USA. Oval nut, large, good taste. Protandrous, stamens ripen before the stigmas, emerges mid-season. The nut ripens quite early." | 1 | None |
| Shepherd | The Shepherd Pecan is a native seedling from Chariton County Missouri. It’s a type 1 pollen producer and is pecan scab resistant. The easy shelling nuts ripen 6 days before Pawnee. Shepherd is a large pecan at 71 per pound. Shepherd is a good pollinator for Kanza and Lakota Pecans. | 1 | September 2025 |
| Snaps | One of the earliest ripening cultivars but the nut is small. It is an annual bearer ripening nuts along with the hickories in early to mid October. It cracks out in halves fairly easily. Recommended for short season areas. | 1 | September 2025 |
| Starks Hardy Giant | Big, easy-to-crack nuts. Dependably yields thin-shelled pecans. Ripens in late September. Self-pollinating, but will yield larger crops if pollinated. | 1 | None |
| Warren 346 | From a commercial orchard in Wheeling Missouri. Mr. Warren selected them for earliness of ripening, hardiness, productivity and nut cracking qualities. | 2 | September 2025 |
| Yates 68 | A seedling of Major, it is larger, at 60/lb and grades as extra large, and has 59% kernel of excellent quality. Yates 68 consistently produces a heavy crop of very thin shelled nuts | 1 | September 2025 |
| Hickories | |||
| Carya Laciniosa Fayette | 'Fayette' like 'Henry' is a very large nut, the size of a walnut. It is a well-filled and annually productive shellbark, cracks out in halves with the Duke Nut Cracker fairly easily. The nuts are mid to late October ripening. | Now | |
| Carya Laciniosa Henry | A very large shellbark nut, the size of a walnut. It is well filled and annually productive, cracks out in halves with the 'Duke' nut cracker fairly easily. The nuts are mid to late October ripening. | Now | |
| Carya Laciniosa Lindauer | Heavy producer of large nuts which crack well into halves. | Now | |
| Carya Laciniosa Richmond Furnace | 'This shellbark selection comes out of Metal Township, PA and was first grafted by Jack Winieski Iin the 1970'S. A beautiful, moderately sized nut that cracks well with good flavor. | Now | |
| Carya laciniosa Simpson 1 | The Simpson Shellbark Hickory is a Kentucky variety named in 2004. It is a heavy bearing tree with medium sized nuts. ( Still larger than a Shagbark ) The nuts crack easily into whole halves and the flavor is outstanding. | Now | |
| Carya ovata Grainger | Selection from Tennessee. It is a large nut almost the size of a shellbark. It often cracks out halves and large pieces. The tree is productive, healthy and a viable pollinizer. It ripens late mid to late October. | Now | |
| Cary ovata Porter | It is a medium size shagbark with good cracking characteristics. The tree is a good producer and a suitable pollinizer for our sterile grafted selections or our other shagbark hickory trees. Nuts ripen mid season | Now | |
| Carya ovata Yoder | From Ohio. It is medium size, good cracking nut. The nuts are late ripening and often drop in the husk, making some hand husking necessary. The tree is alternate bearing with good crops in 2 out of 3 years. | Now |