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Stuart Pecan

Carya illinoiensis (KAIR-ee-ah il-li-noy-NEN-sis)

Family: Juglandaceae Unknown Canopy (>40 ft)

The 'Stuart' pecan is a cultivar of the native pecan tree in the walnut family (Juglandaceae) and is typically grown in the southeastern United States. It originated from a seed planted in 1874 by J.R. Lassabe in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The property was purchased by Capt. E. Castanera and the cultivar was originally known as 'Castanera'. It was later propagated by Col. Stuart and offered commercially in 1892 as 'Stuart' (perhaps because colonels outrank captains). This vigorous tree grows 80 to 100 feet tall and 40 to 75 feet wide.. It does best in full sun in well-drained moist loamy soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. It needs less pruning than other varieties. Be sure to irrigate during dry spells. It has medium resistance to scab. The tree bears fruits with medium-thick shells in 8 to 10 years and fruits are typically harvested mid-October. The kernel is plump and firm-textured with a rich flavor. It is a type 2 pecan and needs a type-1 for pollination. It is compatible with 'Amling', 'Cape Fear', 'Creek', 'Desirable' and 'Mandan'. Learn more about selection, planting, and care of pecan trees . For optimum pollination, NC State Extension recommends planting at least three cultivars with at least one of each pollination type for best cross-pollination. Due to its size, this is a tree most appropriate for a large property. It makes a good shade tree in a naturalized, woodland, or recreational area and as part of a children’s, edible, or pollinator garden. Quick ID Hints: Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound Leaflets are falcate, crenate Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. Aphids, pecan weevils, stink bugs, twig girdlers, and fall webworms can cause some issues. Medium resistance to scab.. Late frosts can reduce nut production. Messy VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Carya illinoinensis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 66 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 1 - Canopy (>40 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Carya illinoinensis Carya illinoinensis 'Elliot' Carya illinoinensis 'Kiowa'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 70 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in. | Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Oval; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Alternate, medium green, 4-8" pinnately compound leaf with 9-17 leaflets; yellow fall color. Leaflets are lanceolate with serrate margins. Midrib of leaf and leaflets may be curved. Fewer and longer leaflets than black walnut.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Green
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Insignificant, monoecious, appear April-May. Male flowers are 4"-long yellow-green catkins, female flowers are shorter spikes.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Cream/Tan; Green
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The medium-thick shells have kernels that are plump and firm-textured with a rich flavor. Matures late October
Bark color
Dark Gray
Bark detail
Grey-brown bark and rectangular furrows.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Gray-brown stems, raised lenticels, and pubescent buds in a U-shaped leaf scar.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Fruits feed small mammals and some birds. Larval host plant to the Luna moth. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed.
Attracts
Moths; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Buffer; Edible fruit; Screening; Shade; Wildlife Food Source; Wind Break
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit; Nuts
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Nut

Edibility

It produces a large-sized edible nut with a weight of about 8.7 g. 45% of kernel.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Recreational Play Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Design feature
Shade Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous tree #edible nuts #wind damage prone #wind pollinated #large tree #buffer #drought tolerant #nuts #shade tree #wildlife friendly #pollinizer
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Black Pecan Aphid; Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (North Carolina); Growing Pecans in North Carolina; Twig Girdler
Disease problems
Phylloxera on Hickory and Pecan
Problems
Messy
Resistant to
Drought

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.