Carya illinoinensis ?Hardy Giant?

Hardy Giant Pecan

Carya illinoinensis ‘Hardy Giant’
Starking® Hardy Giant™ Pecan / Hardy Giant Pecan

Carya illinoinensis ‘Hardy Giant’ is a large deciduous nut tree selected for colder pecan-growing regions. It has compound green foliage, a broad shade-tree form, and produces medium to large, thin-shelled brown pecans with rich, buttery kernels. Stark Bro’s describes Starking® Hardy Giant™ as a Missouri-origin pecan selected by George James, patented in 1955, and cold hardy to about -20°F. It is also noted as a parent of the well-known ‘Pawnee’ pecan.

Type: Deciduous nut tree
Mature Size: 75–100 ft. wide × 75–100 ft. tall
USDA Zones: 5a–9b
Form: Large shade / nut tree with a broad, rounded to spreading crown
Light: Full sun
Soil / Water: Loamy, fertile, well-drained soil; moderate water, especially during establishment and nut development
Bloom Time / Length: Spring; green male catkins and small female flowers, usually not showy
Wildlife: Nuts are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, deer, turkey, and other wildlife; pecan can also serve as a host plant for hickory horndevil moth larvae.

Features & Landscape Uses:
Excellent for large yards, farms, edible landscapes, nut orchards, wildlife plantings, and shade where there is plenty of space. ‘Hardy Giant’ is especially useful in Midwest and cooler pecan regions because it ripens early, usually late September to early October, giving it an advantage in shorter-season climates. Stark lists it as producing medium-to-large, thin-shelled nuts and as one of the earlier pecans to harvest.

Pollination:
Stark lists Starking® Hardy Giant™ as self-pollinating, but also notes that planting a compatible pecan within 75–250 ft. can increase crop size. It is listed as Type I / protandrous, meaning pollen is shed before the female flowers are fully receptive. For best pecan production in general, NC State recommends planting at least three cultivars with both Type I and Type II pollination types represented.

Care:
Plant in full sun with deep, well-drained soil and plenty of room. Pecans develop a deep taproot and can be difficult to transplant, so choose the planting site carefully. Water regularly while young and during drought, especially when nuts are sizing. Prune in late winter to develop strong branch structure and remove weak, damaged, or crossing limbs. Watch for aphids, pecan weevils, stink bugs, twig girdlers, fall webworms, phylloxera, scab, and wind breakage. 

Plant type

Nut Tree, Shade Tree

Height

75-100'

Width

75-100'

Hardiness zones

5–9

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Fast

Bloom time

Spring

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Yellow

Attracts

Squirrels

Soil

Humus rich, Moist well-drained

Landscape use

Nuts, Provide Shade

Shape

Rounded, Spreading Canopy

Drought tolerant

No