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Gafford Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is an Alabama-bred selection prized for its very resistant rating against pecan scab, the disease that undoes most Southern pecan crops in humid years. It thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9 and AHS Heat Zones 3-9, needing only 300-500 chill hours to break dormancy each winter. As a Type I (protandrous) variety, Gafford sheds its pollen before its own flowers are receptive, so plant it alongside a Type II cultivar such as Stuart or Sumner for a reliable nut set. Expect a mid-October harvest of buttery-flavored kernels averaging about 50 nuts per pound.
3-4′ Bare Root Grafted Tree Rootstock: Pecan Seedling
Pecan Seedling (Standard): Grafted onto a pecan seedling, so the tree reaches its full natural size on a deep taproot. No dwarfing effect.
• Support: Freestanding; the deep taproot gives excellent anchorage.
Gafford stands out among modern pecan cultivars for how consistently it shrugs off pecan scab, earning a very resistant rating that keeps fungicide programs light even in the humid Southeast. Bred in Alabama, Gafford emerged from that state’s long pecan-breeding tradition, where scab pressure from wet spring and summer weather has driven most selection work for decades. Details of its exact parentage are not well documented in public sources, but its Alabama origin places it among the scab-tolerant releases developed for growers weary of fungicide-dependent orchards.
Like other pecans, Gafford is a diploid, wind-pollinated member of the hickory family, native to the river bottoms and uplands of central and eastern North America. Its combination of disease tolerance and buttery kernel flavor has made it a practical choice for growers who prioritize orchard health over show-quality nuts.
Gafford needs a warm, sheltered site and a grower comfortable with hands-on management. Its Advanced care rating reflects the attention pecans demand generally, plus the extra work this narrower-canopy tree needs for structural training in its early years. The zone floor sits at 7, warmer than most pecan cultivars, which makes Gafford a better fit for the lower South than for northern pecan country; pair that with an AHS Heat Zone range of 3-9 and you have a tree built for long, hot growing seasons rather than cold winters. Soil pH between 5.5 and 7 suits it well, and deep, well-drained soil matters more than fertility here, since pecans root deep to chase summer moisture. Wind tolerance is low, so avoid open, exposed sites where young limbs can snap, and salt tolerance is also low, which rules out coastal or roadside plantings where de-icing salt or salt spray reaches the root zone. In Zone 7 temperate climate conditions, expect bud break and pollen shed to begin in late April.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-9 AHS Heat Zone: 3-9 Chill Hours: 300-500 Sun Requirements: Full Sun Soil pH: 5.5-7.0 Soil Type: Deep, fertile sandy loam to clay loam; native to bottomland alluvial soils Soil Drainage: Well-drained to moderately well-drained Water Requirements: Medium Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Gafford grows at a moderate pace, eventually reaching 70-100 feet tall, full pecan stature, but with a notably narrower 30-40 foot spread than most cultivars, whose canopies commonly stretch 40-75 feet or more. That narrower crown lets you space trees a little tighter in an orchard row or food forest guild without sacrificing the tall, high canopy pecans are known for. As a deciduous tree native to central and eastern North America, Gafford fits naturally into wildlife-friendly plantings: squirrels, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, woodpeckers, songbirds, crows, raccoons, and opossums all use it for food or cover. Deer will browse young growth and are rated susceptible to this species, so protect saplings until the trunk and lower limbs are out of reach. In a permaculture design, Gafford earns its place as a nut-producing canopy layer, shade tree, and windbreak component, while doubling as wildlife habitat. Landscape uses run from shade tree and naturalized woodland plantings to dedicated nut production in a food forest canopy.
Mature Height: 70-100 ft tall Mature Spread: 30-40 ft wide Growth Habit: moderate to fast growing Growth Rate: Moderate Foliage Type: Deciduous Food Forest Layer: Canopy Permaculture Role: Canopy/overstory tree; nut crop; wildlife habitat; mast provider; shade Fall Foliage Color: golden Thorns?: No Attracts Wildlife: Squirrels, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, crows, woodpeckers, songbirds, opossums, raccoons
Gafford is a Type I (protandrous) pecan: its catkins release pollen from about April 27 to May 6, before its own female flowers become receptive around April 28 to May 8. Because male and female bloom windows barely overlap on a single tree, Gafford cannot reliably pollinate itself, so plant a Type II cultivar nearby to ensure pollen is available when Gafford's flowers open. Good matches include Stuart, Sumner, Choctaw, and Forkert, all of which shed pollen later in the cycle to cover Gafford's receptive window. In a Zone 7 temperate climate, expect this pollen exchange to unfold across the last week of April into the first week of May, carried by wind rather than insects.
Bloom Season: Late Bloom Window: Pollen shed: Apr 27 - May 6; receptive: Apr 28 - May 8 Pollination Requirements: Cross-pollination required; Type I (Protandrous): pollen shed before pistils are receptive; requires a Type II cross-pollinator nearby Pollination Mechanism: Wind-pollinated Ploidy: Diploid (2n)
Gafford nuts run about 50 to the pound on a 13-year average, a mid-size pecan with rich, buttery flavor that holds up well in baking and snacking alike. Kernel color ranges from average to dark, which affects appearance more than taste, but it does mean this isn't a variety bred for showpiece kernels. Be candid with yourself about presentation: kernel spotting and light fuzz are common on Gafford nuts, and the kernels tend to chip during shelling rather than cracking out in clean halves. Growers who prioritize a flawless retail kernel may want a different cultivar; growers who prioritize a healthy, low-spray tree that still produces good-eating nuts will find the trade-off worthwhile. On the bearing side, Gafford shows a low tendency toward alternate bearing, noticeably less than comparison cultivar McMillan, so yields stay more consistent year to year instead of swinging between heavy and light crops.
Ripening Season: Late Harvest Window: Mid Oct Fruit Weight: ~50 nuts/lb (13-year average) Flavor: buttery Fruit Color: Kernel color average to dark Fruit Texture: Kernel spotting and fuzz common; kernels prone to chipping during shelling Fruit Skin: kernel spotting and fuzz common Bearing Habit: Low alternate-bearing tendency; less alternation than comparison cultivar McMillan
Pecan scab (Venturia effusa) is the defining disease pressure in Southern pecan orchards, and Gafford's very resistant rating, confirmed across multiple independent Tier-1 university evaluations, is its single biggest advantage. In humid Southeast growing regions where scab can defoliate trees and blacken nut shucks by midsummer, that resistance translates directly into far less fungicide pressure and healthier trees season after season. Gafford also carries a very resistant rating against black pecan aphid, a sap-feeding pest that can trigger premature leaf drop on susceptible cultivars, so flare-ups and the need to intervene are both reduced. Downy spot, vein spot, zonate leaf spot, and powdery mildew can still appear, so keep up good cultural practices: rake and remove fallen leaves each fall to cut fungal carryover, and maintain airflow through proper pruning and spacing. For pecan weevil, pecan nut casebearer, and hickory shuckworm, none of which carry a cultivar-specific rating for Gafford, rely on monitoring, timely trap crops, and removing dropped or wormy nuts promptly. Favor variety selection and cultural sanitation first, and reach for OMRI-listed organic products only when monitoring shows pest pressure demands it.
Pecan Scab: Very Resistant Pecan Weevil: Susceptible Pecan Nut Casebearer: Susceptible Black Pecan Aphid: Very Resistant
Shelling: Because Gafford kernels chip easily, crack nuts at a slightly wider setting than usual and shell over a padded surface to save more whole halves.
Spacing: Take advantage of the narrower 30-40 ft spread to plant Gafford tighter than a typical 70-100 ft pecan, saving room in a food forest guild.
Sanitation: Rake up fallen leaves and nut shucks each fall to reduce carryover of the minor leaf spot diseases.
Pollinator timing: Plant your Type II partner where you can watch both trees bloom, then confirm overlap before counting on it for a full crop.
We ship in late winter or early spring based on your USDA hardiness zone.
We strive to ship orders on the scheduled dates listed in the table below. However, please note that the actual shipping date may be subject to change due to factors like weather conditions and order volume.
The specific date for shipping your order will be determined according to your zipcode at the time of checkout.
Our plants are shipped bare root, packed in moist sawdust, and securely wrapped in plastic to prevent the roots from drying out. We use USPS Ground Advantage for shipping, ensuring that your plants typically arrive within 2-5 days after packaging.
In case you're unable to plant the trees immediately upon arrival, we recommend soaking them in water for a few hours and temporarily heeling them in. Ideally, they should be planted within three days of receipt for optimal health.
Our 365-Day Plant Guarantee: We ensure that our plants are delivered to you alive and healthy. If your plant does not survive its first year, you're eligible for store credit under these conditions:
You maintain the roots' moisture and plant within three days of delivery, following the instructions in our Planting Guide.
If you're concerned about your plant's health, please consult our guide, How to Tell if Your Tree is Dead or Dormant. Remember, our plants are shipped in a dormant state and may leaf out at different times based on their species. To check for plant vital
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