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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Carya illinoinensis Carya illinoinensis
Carya illinoinensis 'Elliot'
Carya illinoinensis 'Kiowa'
Carya illinoinensis 'Gloria Grande' has some common insect problems:
Black Pecan Aphid
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (North Carolina)
Growing Pecans in North Carolina
Twig Girdler
Carya illinoinensis 'Gloria Grande' has some common disease problems:
Phylloxera on Hickory and Pecan

Pecan Carya illinoinensis 'Gloria Grande'

Other Common Name(s):

Other plants called Pecan:

Phonetic Spelling
KAIR-yuh il-ih-noy-NEN-sis
Description

"Gloria Grande' is a cultivar of the Carya illinoinenses pecan tree, a family of massive, upright spreading trees and grown mostly for its delicious edible nuts that appear in the summer  'Gloria Grande' was discovered in Elloree, S.C. by W.W. Watson, owner of Watson's Pecanwood Nurseries, and introduced by Watson in 1923.  The cultivar is named after Gloria Swanson, Mr. Watson's favorite actress. 'Gloria Grande' is noted for high resistance to scab and consistent year-over-year yields as a mature tree.

The tree's deep taproots make transplanting difficult (a tree with a height of 6 feet may have a 4 foot taproot), so choosing the right location is imperative.  Locate in an area where you can ensure a deep, and moist (but well-drained) habitat. Pecan trees grow best in full sun to partial shade. It tolerates clay, sand, and loam soils—alkaline or acidic—as long as they are well drained. It has high drought tolerance. Learn more about selection, planting, and care of pecan trees.

Varieties in the Carya illinoinensis family play a large part in the pecan production industry, however, fruit trees tend to produce fruit in two-year cycles.  There may be a large yield one year, followed by a smaller (or nonexistent) yield the next.  The fruit of the pecan tree matures late in the season, with little time prior to shedding its leaves for carbohydrate production and storage to support the next years' fruit.  Differing from other varieties of pecans, as a mature tree, 'Gloria Grande' will produce a crop in most years.

Pecan trees can reach up to 130 feet in height but will usually grow 70 to 100 feet tall with a spread of 40 to 75 feet. The largest of the hickories, this deciduous tree has a uniform, symmetrical, broadly oval crown and is massively-branched. Large major limbs grow up and out from the trunk in a distinctive upright, spreading fashion. On older trees, lower branches become wide-sweeping, with their tips almost touching the ground. Trunks can grow to 6 feet in diameter. 

Pollination is the second most important factor in purchasing pecan trees. Pecan trees are monoecious: they have separate male and female flowers on the same tree. Pollen is not released when flowers are receptive, so pollination within and between the same cultivars is limited. Cultivars are separated into type I and type II for pollination purposes. For optimum pollination, NC State Extension recommends planting at least three cultivars with at least one of each pollination type for best cross-pollination. All cultivars have positive and negative attributes, so do your research before purchasing.

Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems

Black aphids are an issue affecting this variety.  Having a very thick shell on the fruit (nuts) can cause low production, making this variety not suitable for commercial production.  This tree is susceptible to wind damage.  

 

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.   

More information on Carya illinoinensis.

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Tags:
#deciduous#shade tree#large tree#edible nuts#nuts#buffer#edible fruits#pollinator plant#wind pollinated#larval host plant#wind damage prone#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#shade tree#large tree#edible nuts#nuts#buffer#edible fruits#pollinator plant#wind pollinated#larval host plant#wind damage prone#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Carya
    Species:
    illinoinensis
    Family:
    Juglandaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    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.
    Play Value:
    Buffer
    Edible fruit
    Screening
    Shade
    Wildlife Food Source
    Wind Break
    Edibility:
    Nuts are edible.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 70 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Oval
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    more than 60 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Cream/Tan
    Green
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    It produces large-sized nuts in clusters of 4 with excellent kernel quality. The seeds are also edible. However, a thick shell on the nut can cause low production, making this variety not suitable for commercial production.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Cream/Tan
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Insignificant, monoecious, appear April-May. Male flowers are 4"-long yellow-green catkins, female flowers are shorter spikes.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Smooth
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    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 slightly curved. Fewer and longer leaflets than black walnut.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Furrowed
    Bark Plate Shape:
    Rectangle
    Bark Description:
    Grey-brown bark and rectangular furrows.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Bud Scales:
    No scales, covered in hair
    Stem Leaf Scar Shape:
    Encircles a bud
    Stem Lenticels:
    Conspicuous
    Stem Description:
    Grey-brown stems, raised lenticels, and pubescent buds in a U-shaped, usually shallow, leaf scar.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Recreational Play Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Children's Garden
    Edible Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Shade Tree
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Problems:
    Messy