Lakota Hardy Pecan (Carya illinoinensis 'Lakota')
KAR-ee-ah il-lin-noy-NEN-sis 'Lakota'

Deciduous Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Tree, Upright-Spreading in the Juglandaceae Family
A cold-hardy, USDA-bred pecan selected for scab resistance and reliable nuts as far north as Kansas and Illinois -- a big shade tree that doubles as a dependable nut crop.

Carya illinoinensis 'Lakota' is a cold-hardy pecan cultivar released by the USDA Agricultural Research Service in 2007, a cross between the 'Mahan' and 'Major' pecan varieties. Bred with northern pecan-growing regions like Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois in mind, it combines strong resistance to pecan scab disease with reliable nut production.

Like all pecans, it's a large deciduous shade tree that can eventually reach 70-100 feet tall with a 40-75 foot spread, so it needs plenty of room to grow. In spring it produces inconspicuous green-yellow catkins, followed by thin-shelled, buttery-flavored nuts that ripen in late September. As a Type II (protogynous) cultivar, 'Lakota' needs a compatible Type I pollinator pecan planted nearby, such as 'Pawnee' or 'Desirable', to bear a crop.

Pros

  • Highly resistant to pecan scab disease
  • Reliable, high-yielding nut production once mature
  • Cold-hardy for a pecan, suited to northern growing regions
  • Strong, wind-resistant branch structure

Cons

  • Requires a compatible pollinator tree -- not self-fertile
  • Needs regular crop thinning to keep nut size consistent
  • Grows very large and needs significant space
  • Takes 5-7 years to bear a meaningful crop
This plant may be mostly winter-hardy outdoors where you live, but it may need protection to survive extreme weather.
Highlights USDA-released (2007) cold-hardy pecan cultivar, a Mahan x Major cross bred for strong scab resistance and reliable nut production in northern pecan-growing regions.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 70 - 100 feet tall. 40 - 75 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium to Fast
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 6a - 9b (Usually hardy to -10° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Disease Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Edibles, Fall Color, Fruit edible, Full Sun, Insignificant Flowers, Medium, Nativar, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Shade Tree, Specimen, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tree, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period April - May
Flower Color Green-Yellow
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 05/11 - 10/04

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!