Pecan (Pawnee)
Carya illinoinensis 'Pawnee'
An outstanding early-season pecan variety that produces large, plump nuts with excellent shell-out percentages and sweet, rich flavor. Pawnee is prized for its consistent annual production and relatively compact growth habit, making it one of the best choices for home pecan growers. This variety begins producing nuts at a younger age than most pecans, typically within 4-6 years.
Harvest
210-240d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
5–9
USDA hardiness
Height
70-100 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Pecan (Pawnee) in USDA Zone 7
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Pecan (Pawnee) · Zones 5–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist, Occasional Flooding, Occasionally Dry. Height: 70 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 40 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 24-60 feet, more than 60 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Sweet edible nuts with a husk that splits into four sections when they ripen in the fall. Husk begins green and dries to brown. The nut is oval to round, 1-3" long, tan to brown with darker streaking. Wind pollinated.
Color: Brown/Copper, Cream/Tan, Green. Type: Nut. Length: 1-3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.
Garden value: Edible
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: Nuts are edible.
Storage & Preservation
Pawnee pecans store best in cool, dry conditions at 32–50°F with relative humidity between 65–70 percent. Keep nuts in their shells within breathable mesh bags or wooden crates to allow air circulation and prevent moisture accumulation. Shelled kernels are more perishable; store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three months, or frozen for up to a year without significant quality loss. Fresh in-shell nuts maintain quality for four to six months under proper conditions. Freezing is the most reliable long-term preservation method—both in-shell and shelled kernels freeze well and thaw quickly for baking, confections, or snacking. Light roasting before freezing intensifies the buttery flavor. Drying is less common for Pawnee but possible; low-temperature dehydration extends shelf life further. Pawnee's thin shell cracks cleanly and stores longer than thicker-shelled varieties, making it particularly convenient for home storage if you prefer keeping nuts in-shell until use.
History & Origin
Origin: Central & E. Central U.S.A. to Mexico
Advantages
- +Attracts: Moths, Pollinators, Small Mammals, Songbirds
- +Edible: Nuts are edible.
Companion Plants
The plants that work best under or near a pecan are ones that improve the soil at ground level without competing for the canopy space the tree monopolizes. Comfrey is the standout here — its taproot can push 6 feet down, well below the pecan's main feeder zone in the top 18 inches, mining calcium and potassium that get returned to the surface when you chop the leaves for mulch. Clover fills in the understory differently: it fixes atmospheric nitrogen through its Rhizobium root symbiosis, which matters on the lean, compacted soils that often develop under a mature tree. Native grasses keep the soil surface from crusting and provide overwintering habitat for ground-nesting beneficials. Marigolds and nasturtiums planted along the dripline draw in parasitic wasps that prey on case bearer larvae and aphid colonies — that's the practical payoff, not any direct effect on the tree itself.
The harmful companions are a straightforward resource-and-disease argument. Black walnut (Juglans nigra) produces juglone in its roots, hulls, and leaf litter — a compound that disrupts respiration in a wide range of susceptible plants, and pecan shows sensitivity to it, so don't site these two species in the same understory. Large shade trees are simply a competition problem: Pawnee needs 6 or more hours of direct sun to fill a decent crop, and canopy encroachment shows up as poor nut development well before you think to look up. Cotton shares several serious soilborne pathogens with pecan, including Phytophthora root rot, and that overlap isn't worth the risk.
Plant Together
Comfrey
Deep taproot brings up nutrients, leaves provide excellent mulch and compost material
Clover
Fixes nitrogen in soil, improves soil structure, and provides living mulch
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and other soil pests that can damage pecan roots
Nasturtiums
Trap crop for aphids and other pests, climbing varieties won't compete with tree
Chives
Repel aphids and improve soil health without competing with tree roots
Wildflowers
Attract beneficial insects for pest control and support pollinators
Elderberry
Compatible understory shrub that attracts beneficial insects and birds
Native grasses
Prevent erosion, improve soil structure, and don't compete heavily for nutrients
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to pecans and inhibits their growth
Cotton
Shares common pests like bollworm and aphids, increasing pest pressure on pecans
Large shade trees
Compete for sunlight which pecans need for optimal nut production
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346395)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to scab; moderate resistance to other fungal diseases
Common Pests
Pecan weevil, aphids, case bearer, hickory shuckworm
Diseases
Pecan scab, brown spot, powdery mildew, anthracnose
Troubleshooting Pecan (Pawnee)
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Black, sunken lesions on shucks and nuts, often appearing by mid-summer; affected nuts may drop early or fail to fill
Likely Causes
- Pecan scab (Venturia effusa) — the most economically damaging pecan disease, worse in wet humid summers
- Susceptible cultivar planted in a low-airflow site
What to Do
- 1.Pawnee is rated moderately susceptible to scab — spray with a copper-based fungicide or propiconazole on a 10-14 day schedule from bud break through shell hardening if your area had scab pressure the prior year
- 2.Prune out crossing interior branches to open the canopy; scab thrives where foliage stays wet for hours
- 3.Keep detailed records: if scab hits hard two or three years running, a more resistant variety like Elliot or Kanza may be a better long-term fit for your site
Nuts with a small, clean entry hole near the base of the shell, kernel partially or fully eaten; worms visible inside cracked nuts at harvest
Likely Causes
- Pecan weevil (Curculio caryae) — adults bore into nuts during the water to gel stage in August, larvae consume the kernel
- Hickory shuckworm (Cydia caryana) — earlier-season larvae tunnel into shucks, interrupting nut fill
What to Do
- 1.For pecan weevil: apply a labeled pyrethroid (permethrin or bifenthrin) when nuts reach the water stage — roughly mid-August in zone 7 — and repeat 10-14 days later
- 2.Collect and destroy all fallen shucks and mummified nuts each fall; weevil larvae overwinter in the soil under the tree and shuckworm pupates in shuck debris
- 3.Sticky-band traps around the trunk in late July give you an early read on adult weevil emergence timing so you don't spray too early or miss the window
Yellow, stippled foliage through summer; leaves may bronze or drop early; heavy aphid colonies visible on new growth or leaf undersides
Likely Causes
- Yellow pecan aphid (Monelliopsis pecanis) or black-margined aphid (Monellia caryella) — both excrete honeydew, leading to black sooty mold on leaves and any surfaces below the canopy
- Disrupted beneficial insect populations, often from broad-spectrum insecticide use earlier in the season
What to Do
- 1.Tolerate light to moderate aphid pressure — lacewings, lady beetles, and parasitic wasps will usually catch up within 2-3 weeks if you haven't knocked them back with a spring spray
- 2.If populations are heavy enough to cause leaf drop or significant honeydew mess by late June, a single targeted application of insecticidal soap or neem oil to the affected canopy sections is usually enough
- 3.Avoid preventive broad-spectrum sprays in spring; NC State Extension notes that conservation of beneficial insects is the most cost-effective long-term aphid management strategy for pecan
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take a Pawnee pecan tree to produce nuts?▼
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Is Pawnee a good pecan variety for beginners?▼
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What's the difference between Pawnee and Desirable pecans?▼
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Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.