What state has the best pecans
James Bradley
Updated on April 08, 2026
Georgia is the leading U.S. producer of pecans. Pecan trees, a species of hickory, are the source of the only commercially produced tree nut native to the United States.
What are the best tasting pecans?
Stein said of all named cultivars to date, one of those with the best eating quality is the Sioux, which is a cross of Schley and Carmichael varieties. “Sioux also makes a gorgeous tree, which requires little training and is recommended as one of the best homeowner trees to grow,” he said.
What are the top 5 states that produce pecans?
- Louisiana.
- Missouri.
- Mississippi.
- North Carolina.
- New Mexico.
- Oklahoma.
- South Carolina.
- Texas.
Where is the largest pecan orchard?
Stahmann Farms owns the world’s largest pecan orchard, located south of the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico.What is the pecan Capital of the World?
San Saba Texas | Welcome to the Pecan Capital of the World.
What is the largest pecan variety?
At the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Jumbo Hollis pecans won a bronze medal for being the largest displayed. In the early 1900’s much of its wood was sent throughout the South to be “budded” (grafted) to other pecan trees. The tree’s record year was 1919, when it produced 1,015 pounds of nuts.
What is the oldest pecan tree in the world?
A true treasure in Highland Park was the grand old pecan tree on Armstrong Parkway at Preston Road. This mammoth tree was approximately 75 feet wide by 75 feet tall and was over 140 years old. This legendary tree succumbed to age and disease.
Why pecans are so expensive?
The reasons behind that escalating price all come down to natural forces: supply and demand and weather. … Their growing economy means they’re more willing to pay higher prices, and that’s raising prices everywhere. The demand is also moving faster than the pecans can grow.Where is the largest pecan tree?
In Seguin, Texas, a nut claims to be World’s Largest Pecan. The giant pecan that sits in front of the Seguin, TX, city hall was the brainchild of a dentist, who wanted to put his plastering skills to civic use. Erected in 1962, the pecan is five feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide, and weighs approximately 1000 pounds.
Are pecans grown in Texas?Pecan trees grow in many settings, including woodlands, parks, urban greenbelts, courthouse lawns, and thousands of home landscapes. The pecan is the state tree of Texas and has an important place in the state’s history. Native and improved pecan trees are grown commercially on about 70,000 acres in Texas.
Article first time published onIs Georgia the pecan state?
Pecans are one of the most popular all-season nuts. … Georgia is the nation´s leading pecan producing state. In Georgia, pecans are harvested during October and November, but are available year-round.
What states are pecans native?
The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to the southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. The tree is cultivated for its seed in the southern United States, primarily in Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico, which produces nearly half of the world total.
What is the lifespan of a pecan tree?
Pecans reach maturity at about twelve years old and can live as long as 300 years! Non-grafted seedlings and native pecan trees often take 10 to 15 years to begin to produce fruit. Grafted varieties produce fruit in 5-10 years depending on variety.
Are pecans native to New Mexico?
History of the New Mexico Pecan Industry Pecan trees are native to the Mississippi River Valley and probably first arrived in New Mexico along with American settlers around the turn of the 20th century. … The first significant commercial pecan plantings in New Mexico were made by Deane Stahmann in the 1930s.
Where is the largest pecan orchard in Texas?
By 1956 the Leonard Bend Pecan Farm had 3,300 acres of orchard on the peninsula, and had become the largest contiguous pecan orchard in Texas, and the second largest in the United States. Part of the Leonard Bend Farm was acquired in 1967 by the Brazos River Authority for the purpose of building the deCordova Dam.
Do pecan trees make pecans every year?
While pecan trees may produce a crop each year once they get started, heavy crops of nuts get produced in alternate years. The phenomenon, called alternate bearing, means the trees produce light crops in the other years.
How can you tell when pecans are ripe?
Check for ripeness. Pecans are ready for harvest when the green hulls split open on the tree, dropping the nuts in their shells to the ground. So when you find pecans on the ground, it’s time to gather them (or the squirrels will beat you to it).
How far do you plant pecan trees apart?
If planting only one or two pecan trees, space at least 40-60 feet apart so they have adequate space to grow. If you are planning an orchard and will be thinning trees as they grow, you can plant as little as 20 feet apart.
What is a Stuart pecan?
‘Stuart’ is a medium-sized nut with mediocre kernel percent (46) and kernel grade, but percent fill and specific gravity are among the highest. Yield has been excellent and consistent under modern cultural practices. The cultivar lacks precocity. Everyone in Georgia knows the ‘Stuart’ pecan.
What type of pecans are in Texas?
Varieties well-suited for North Texas include the Choctaw, Forkert, Cape Fear, and Kiowa. Pecans are valued both for fruit production and as shade trees, and are drought-resistant. Different cultivars do better in different areas of Texas, but all of the state can grow pecans.
How big are desirable pecans?
Tree TypeChoose an option BarerootSizeChoose an option 1 – 2 feet 2 – 3 feet 3 – 4 feet 4 – 5 feet 5 – 6 feet 6 – 7 feet 7 – 8 feet 8 feet + Clear
How often should I water a pecan tree?
Pecan trees must be watered at least every two weeks; a three week drought is the maximum trees can endure without being damaged. Any stress received by pecan trees during this late stage of development can result in major fruit drop.
What is the most expensive nut in the world?
- Macadamia nuts are the most expensive nuts in the world, at $25 per pound.
- The flowering macadamia trees originated in northeastern Australia and take 7 to 10 years to begin producing nuts.
Can pecans be eaten raw?
Pecans are a versatile tree nut. They can be eaten alone – raw, roasted, or flavored – as a healthy, delicious snack or they can enhance almost any recipe as an ingredient.
What country produces the most pecans?
The United States is the world’s largest producer of pecans. Although exact numbers for world pecan production are not known, it is estimated that the United States produces 75 percent of total world production followed by Mexico with an estimated 20 percent (Johnson 1997).
Where do pecans grow best?
Pecans grow best in warm, humid climates. In cool climate pecans may not produce nuts, and may suffer from coral spot.
Why are pecans so popular in Texas?
Although pecans have a long history in Texas and the South, they were first known to the Europeans in the 16th century. Before Europeans settled in America, Native Americans would commonly consume pecans. These healthy nuts were a natural choice as a source of food for the pre-agricultural society.
Where do pecan trees grow best in Texas?
Wichita is the most productive pecan grown in Texas and is ideally adapted to central and west Texas. Although it has serious scab problems in the humid areas and freeze problems in the far north, the tree is very vigorous, productive and begins to bear in only 5 to 7 years.
What state produces the most pecan pies?
Georgia leads the nation in pecan production and has been the top pecan producing state since the late 1800s. 2. Every pecan pie uses 1/2 lb to 3/4 lb of pecans, so there are about 78 pecans used in every pecan pie! 3.
Which state produces the most nuts?
The United States produces an abundance of tree nuts with California being the country’s leading producer of tree nuts. Nearly 90 percent of each year’s nut production is harvested from the state’s orchards, including almost all almonds, pistachios and walnuts.
Why are there so many pecan trees in Georgia?
In the late 1800s several individual Georgia landowners near Savannah began producing and marketing pecans on a small scale (about ninety-seven total acres by 1889). By 1910 a “pecan boom” began when southwest Georgia landowners started planting what became thousands of acres of pecans.