SCIENTIFIC NAME: Carya illinoinensis (Carya pecan)

COMMON NAME: pecan

LEAVES: Alternate. Pinnately compound with 11-18 leaflets. Inequilateral base. Leaflets falcate. Serrated margin with little black gland at the end of each serration.

FRUIT: Nut that is eaten by humans.

BARK: Scaly, flaky bark.

OTHER: Tap root system when young that becomes fibrous when the tree gets older. Plant in the dormant season (November-March), but don't guarantee 100% liveability. Always plant trees less than 8' tall unless they are container grown. Check for large number of secondary roots coming off of tap root if buying bare root trees. If only tap root present on these young nursery trees, then tree will usually die. Usually lots of young trees die. Mature tree is a biannual bearer and has good fruit crop every other year. Native around the Mississippi river. Many cultivars used in the trade with some fruiting at an early age after transplanting. This species is still widely handled bare root. One of the most commonly misspelled specific epithets. Can be found spelled three different ways in different books: illinoensis, illinoiensis, and illinoinensis. Grows 60 - 80'. A Saudia Arabian prince tried to move B&B 80 large pecan trees at great expense to his estate in Montgomery, AL and got zero to live. He once again learned the harsh reality about trying to move large pecans B&B or bare root. Father always said for best results transplant pecan trees small and transplant them Christmas week.