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.
We have received Pecans in 2023 but after supplying all outstanding orders it is unlikely there will be any left for new orders, we expect to have a lot more next year so please order before October if you can wait, there are Hicans and Hickories in small numbers.
Images of nuts on blocks courtesy of Arie Bruin of De Acht Plagen
| Pecans | Pollination Group | Available to order | |
| 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 2024 |
| 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 2024 |
| Colby | Good strong tree structure, produces early season. Good medium large thin shelled nuts (60 / lb). | 2 | September 2024 |
| Deerstand | The nuts are small at 101 per pound but, they shell well and have good color and eating qualities. | 2 | September 2024 |
| 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 2024 |
| James Early | Thin shelled, medium size nut (90 / lb). New 1991 bred variety, crops early September. | 1 | September 2024 |
| 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 | September 2024 |
| 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 | September 2024 |
| Major | Great flavour, medium sized pecan of excellent quality and a high oil content. (77 / lb). Type 1, parent of Kanza. | 1 | September 2024 |
| Martzahn | Small nuts, ultra northern variety | 2 | September 2024 |
| 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 | September 2024 |
| 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 2024 |
| 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 2024 |
| 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 | September 2024 |
| 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 2024 |
| 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. | September 2024 | |
| 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. | September 2024 | |
| Carya lacioiosa x ovata Weschke | '1926 Selected by Car Weschke from tree in Fayette, IA.The nut is small but early ripening. It is one of our best for releasing the nut meat in 2 easily extracted pieces. It is a good annual bearing tree but it is pollen sterile so needs a pollenator. | September 2024 | |
| 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. | September 2024 | |
| 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. | September 2024 |