University of Georgia
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Pecans
Menu
Close
Search

Pecan: America's Native Nut Tree

Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist and the university’s leading voice in the pecan industry, covers the history of pecans and their popularity in the South in his first book, “Pecan: America’s Native Nut Tree.”

Read the entire story

Grower Resources

Additional UGA Pecan Research

Budgets (prepared by UGA's department of Agricultural & Applied Economics)


Pecan News

Georgia continues to be the top pecan-producing state in the U.S. CAES News
Climate Adapted Pecans 03/21/23
An international team of researchers, including four faculty from CAES, has received a USDA NIFA award for the second phase of a study on one of Georgia’s top commodities: the pecan.
See More News

Facts About Georgia Pecans

During the late 1800's ...

Landowners began to recognize the potential profit of pecans in the southeastern United States. By the late 1800's, several individuals near Savannah, Georgia had produced and marketed pecans on a small scale. By 1889, there were only 97 acres of pecans planted in Georgia.

Between 1910 and 1925 ...

Thousands of acres of pecan trees were planted in southwest Georgia. Most of these trees were initially planted as real estate investments rather than for nut production. Thousands of acres were sold in five and ten acre units, primarily in Dougherty and Mitchell Counties, which are still today the hub of Georgia's pecan producing counties. By 1920, Georgia was producing 2.5 million pounds of pecans.

By the 1950's ...

Georgia was ranked as the top state in the nation for pecan production.

Today ...

Georgia pecan orchards may range in size from just a few trees to several thousand acres. The state continues to be regarded as the top pecan producing state in the U.S., with over 170,000 acres planted.


From the Pecan Blog

Visit the Blog
UGA Pecan Extension
Posted by on
Pre-Emergent Herbicide Rotations
Among many other things to do in the orchard, now is also the time to start our pre-emergent herbicide programs for the spring. With the price of glyphosate and glufosinate increase in 2021, I began working with pre-emergent herbicides for pecan at the Vidalia Onion Research Center. Though post emergent prices have come down some, […]
UGA Pecan Extension
Posted by on
Impact of Phylloxera on Pecan Crop: Maybe More than What We See
As we get into the budbreak in pecan trees, one insect we should keep in mind is phylloxera. These are small, aphid-like insects that are responsible for causing galls on the leaves and stems of pecan trees during the early part of the growing season. Usually, three species of phylloxera can attack pecan trees: pecan […]
UGA Pecan Extension
Posted by on
UGA Pecan School to Be Held in Conjunction with Georgia Pecan Growers Association Annual Conference March 20, 2024
The UGA Pecan School (also known as the Pecan Beginners Course) will be held in conjunction with the Georgia Pecan Growers Conference coming up on March 20, 2024 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia. The class will cover all aspects of pecan production including economic considerations, pecan varieties, planting, insect, weed, and disease […]