$59.95Original price was: $59.95.$47.96Current price is: $47.96.
Lakota Pecan (Carya illinoinensis ‘Lakota’) is a USDA-ARS-released pecan selected from a Mahan × Major cross, growing 70 to 100 feet tall and offering very strong scab resistance along with high-quality cream to golden kernels that shell easily into full halves at 58% kernel ratio. It grows in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 and AHS heat zones 4-8, and needs 300-900 chill hours, and requires cross-pollination with a compatible variety such as Caddo Pecan or Desirable Pecan for reliable nut set.
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.
Lakota traces to a Mahan x Major cross made at the USDA-ARS Pecan Field Station in Brownwood, Texas, in 1964. The seedling, designated USDA 64-6-502, was evaluated over decades at trial sites before being released in 2007 by geneticist Tommy Thompson and horticulturist L. J. Grauke of the USDA-ARS Crop Germplasm Research Unit in College Station, Texas, in collaboration with horticulturist William Reid of Kansas State University. The variety is named for the Lakota people, consistent with the USDA pecan program’s practice of honoring Native American nations through cultivar names. The Major parentage is widely credited with Lakota’s strong scab resistance, while the Mahan lineage contributed large nut size and early maturity. USDA release notes highlighted its high yield potential, excellent tree vigor and limb strength, and a kernel percentage of approximately 62 percent at 59 nuts per pound — figures that led University of Georgia Extension to include it on its recommended cultivar list for southeastern orchards.
Lakota is rated for USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 9. Trees reach 70 to 100 feet tall with a canopy spread of 40 to 75 feet — plan spacing at 60 to 80 feet in a permanent planting. Soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0 is ideal; avoid sites with slow drainage, as pecan roots are deep taproots that cannot tolerate prolonged waterlogging.
Growth rate is moderate on grafted stock. Expect the first meaningful crop at years five to seven. Alternate bearing is built into the variety — a heavy year is typically followed by a lighter one. Crop thinning in heavy-set years moderates the cycle and improves kernel fill. Pecans are heavy feeders; base fertilization on annual leaf analysis rather than a fixed program. Zinc deficiency is the most common micronutrient problem: begin foliar zinc applications at bud break and repeat through leaf expansion each spring.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 AHS Heat Zone: 4-8 Chill Hours: 300-900 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 Plant Spacing: 75-100 ft apart Container Suitability: No
Lakota grows into a large, upright-spreading deciduous tree with compound leaves carrying 11 to 17 leaflets arranged in an alternate pinnate pattern. Mature canopy spread reaches 40 to 75 feet, so this is a genuine forest-canopy tree suited to large property plantings, food forests, and naturalized grove settings. Growth rate is moderate compared to seedling pecans but consistent once the tree is established.
The bark is gray-brown and develops shallow furrowing with age. Fall foliage turns golden yellow before leaf drop, providing seasonal color in the landscape. Like all pecans, Lakota is wind-pollinated and produces hanging catkins for pollen release; the separate pistillate flowers appear on new growth. Salt tolerance is low — avoid sites exposed to road salt or saline irrigation. Wind tolerance is also low; young trees benefit from a stake in the first season, and mature trees in windswept sites can suffer limb breakage during heavy nut crops. The deep taproot makes transplanting of large trees impractical; plant one- to two-year grafted trees and let the root system establish in place.
Mature Height: 70-100 ft tall Mature Spread: 40-75 ft wide Growth Habit: Upright, vigorous; develops strong limb angles and a wind-resistant structure Growth Rate: Moderate Foliage Type: Deciduous Food Forest Layer: Canopy Permaculture Role: Canopy/overstory tree; nut crop; wildlife habitat; mast provider; shade Leaf Color: Green Fall Foliage Color: Yellow to gold Thorns?: No Attracts Wildlife: Squirrels, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, crows, woodpeckers, songbirds, opossums, raccoons Life Span: commonly 100-200+ years
Lakota is a Type II (protogynous) pecan, meaning it has receptive female flowers before its own catkins shed pollen. In the current pecan pollination chart, its pollen-shed window is Apr 28 - May 5 and its receptive window is Apr 17 - Apr 24. Reliable crops need a compatible cross-pollinizer whose pollen shed overlaps that receptive window. Best matches from the current article matrix: Pawnee (Type I), Oconee (Type I), Caddo (Type I). Pecans are wind-pollinated; plant compatible varieties in the same yard, food forest, or orchard block with open airflow rather than relying on an unknown tree several properties away.
Bloom Season: Early Bloom Window: Pollen shed: Apr 28 - May 5; receptive: Apr 17 - Apr 24 Pollination Requirements: Cross-pollination required; Type II (protogynous): becomes receptive first, then sheds pollen later; needs a compatible cross-pollinizer whose pollen shed overlaps its receptive window Pollination Mechanism: Wind-pollinated Flower Color: Yellow-green (catkins) Ploidy: Diploid (2n=32)
Lakota nuts mature late September to mid-October — among the earlier mid-season pecans, an advantage in northern portions of Zones 6 and 7 where frost can catch late-maturing varieties before shuck split. Nut size is medium with a 58% kernel percentage, high for a mid-size nut, and the thin shell cracks cleanly into full halves without papery separations.
Kernel flavor is rich, buttery, and mildly sweet — classic pecan taste without bitterness in well-matured nuts. Lakota handles fresh eating, baking, confections, and savory preparations equally well. Yield is a standout: trees average 12 lbs per year over nine seasons, with peak years reaching 24 to 57 lbs. That early productivity separates Lakota from slower-bearing cultivars that may not hit full production for 10 to 15 years. Wildlife also benefits — squirrels, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and multiple songbird species work the fallen nuts.
Ripening Season: Early Harvest Window: Late Sep - Mid Oct Fruit Weight: 0.28-0.30 oz per nut (54-66 nuts/lb) Flavor: Rich, buttery; high oil content with light golden kernel Fruit Color: Shell: tan/brown; kernel: cream to light golden Fruit Texture: Shells easily into full halves; 58% kernel Fruit Skin: Thin shell; teardrop-shaped Bearing Habit: Alternate bearing; crop thinning essential Years to Bear: 5-7 years Yield: 12 Storage Life: In shell: up to 6 months refrigerated; shelled kernels: up to 2 years frozen Culinary Uses: Fresh eating, baking (pecan pie, pralines, cookies), candy-making, ice cream, salads, savory cooking
Lakota's most commercially significant trait is its very strong resistance to pecan scab, caused by Venturia effusa — the most economically damaging disease in humid pecan-growing regions, routinely causing premature nut drop and preventing full kernel expansion. This resistance has held up across multiple seasons and geographic locations in university trials. Most growers in humid climates can expect to manage Lakota without a protective fungicide program for scab, though monitoring during periods of prolonged wet weather is still advisable.
Resistance to downy spot (Mycosphaerella caryigena) is moderate, meaning infection is possible during cool, wet springs but rarely reaches economically damaging levels without fungicide backup. Vein spot and zonate leaf spot data are limited for Lakota, and powdery mildew susceptibility is mild to moderate — maintaining good canopy airflow through strategic pruning reduces all three. For insects, pecan weevil (Curculio caryae) is the primary yield threat at harvest; kaolin clay applied before weevil emergence and pheromone traps for monitoring are the first-line organic tools. Pecan nut casebearer and hickory shuckworm are seasonal pressures manageable through timely debris removal and canopy thinning. Black pecan aphid populations can build in dense canopies, and Lakota shows susceptibility — beneficial insect habitat nearby helps keep aphid colonies in check naturally.
Start zinc at bud break: Apply foliar zinc sulfate or chelated zinc at bud swell and repeat every 2 to 3 weeks through leaf expansion — three to five applications each spring prevents the yellowing and leaf scorch that drive alternate bearing in high-yielding years.
Match a Type I pollinator: Plant Byrd, Mandan, Pawnee, or Desirable within 150 to 200 feet before the first season; waiting to add a pollinator after planting costs years of poor set.
Thin heavy crops: In big crop years, removing 20 to 30% of developing nuts in July moderates alternate bearing and improves kernel fill on the nuts that remain.
Kaolin clay for weevil: Begin Surround WP applications when shucks reach 3/4 full size and reapply after rain — pecan weevil is the main harvest-loss pest and kaolin is the most effective organic barrier.
Space generously: Final canopy spread reaches 40 to 75 feet; crowded trees lose airflow, increase disease pressure, and drop productivity faster than well-spaced ones.
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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