Carya illinoinensis 'Stuart'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAIR-yuh il-ih-noy-NEN-sis
- Description
-
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.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Carya
- Species:
- illinoiensis
- 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:
- It produces a large-sized edible nut with a weight of about 8.7 g. 45% of kernel.
- 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:
- 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:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The medium-thick shells have kernels that are plump and firm-textured with a rich flavor. Matures late October
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- 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:
- > 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 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:
- Gray-brown stems, raised lenticels, and pubescent buds in a U-shaped leaf scar.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Problems:
- Messy
