Plants

pecan

Carya illinoinensis

Family: Juglandaceae · Genus: Carya

Secondary II High No biomass production

Pecan, a large deciduous tree of the Juglandaceae family, native to North America and successfully grown in southern Brazil, especially Rio Grande do Sul, the country's leading producer. It needs cold winters and long, hot summers; it flowers in spring and the nut ripens in autumn. A deep-taprooted, long-lived species.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Carya pecan (Marshall) Engl. & Graebn., Carya oliviformis (F.Michx.) Nutt., Juglans illinoinensis Wangenh.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Secondary II
Ecological role: Late secondary
Primary stratum: High
Strata: High, Emergent
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 6–7
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones: 6–9
Frost tolerance: -20.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 20–40 m
Recommended spacing: 8–12 m
Root system: Taproot
Root depth: Deep
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: 100–300 years
Time to first harvest: 48 months
Productive lifespan: 100 years

Biomes & climate

Pampa Suitable
Atlantic Forest Suitable

Köppen classes

Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable
Oceanic (Cfb) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Pecan takes the High stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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🪴 Cultivation

Propagated by grafting selected cultivars onto seedling rootstocks. Dichogamous, requiring cultivars with complementary pollen shedding for good pollination. Tolerates a wide pH range (4.5–8.3); plant early in its permanent position because the taproot resents transplanting.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Train to a strong central leader, keeping a dominant axis and selecting well-spaced scaffold branches in the early years for a straight trunk. Maintenance pruning is minimal and done in dormancy (Jun–Aug), limited to removing low, dead or crossing limbs. A taprooted tree: avoid transplanting and heavy pruning, which set back growth.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October

Fruiting months: April, May

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of pecan?

The first harvest of pecan comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for pecan?

The recommended spacing for pecan is 8–12 m.

How tall does pecan grow?

At maturity, pecan reaches 20–40 m tall.

When does pecan fruit?

Fruiting of pecan occurs in April, May.

When does pecan flower?

Flowering of pecan occurs in September, October.

What stage and stratum does pecan occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, pecan belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🌰 Nut Timber Windbreak 🍯 Melliferous

Propagation

Grafting, Seed

Citations

Wikipedia (scientific_name, synonyms, height_min_m, height_max_m, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, root_system, propagation, wikidata_qid, gbif_taxon_key)
Plants For A Future (pruning_notes, time_to_first_harvest_months, ph_min, ph_max, root_system)
POWO (powo_id, scientific_name)