Classification of Pecan Cultivars 

Pecan trees preven themselves somewhat from self-pollinating and encourage cross by being: Protandrous or Protogynous.
 
Protandrous trees release pollen from the staminate (male) flowers (or catkins) before that tree's pistillate (female) flowers (or nutlets) are receptive to pollen.
 
Protogynous trees produce nutlets that are receptive to pollen before that tree's catkins release pollen.
 
In order to get good pollenination of pecan cultivars one should have either a lot of native pecan trees around the named varieties or have at least one protandrous and one protogynous type in his or her backyard or small orchard.  Below is a partial listing of the varieties of pecans that grow in our area and their dichogamy.  Not all the varieties listed below are recommended varieties for Brazoria county, but are listed simply because they are growing in the county.  For other varieties reference Pecan Cultivars--Past and Present by Tommy E. Thompson and Fountain Young, published by The Texas Pecan Growers Association Inc. College Station, Texas 1985.

Protandrous Types:                                   Protogynous Types:
    Caddo                                                          Apache
    Cape Fear*                                                  Choctaw
    Cheyenne*                                                   Elliott*
    Desirable*                                                    Forkert*
    Pawnee                                                        Gloria Grande
    Podsednik                                                    GraTex
    San Saba                                                     Jackson
    Success                                                       Kiowa
    Osage                                                          Mahan
    Oconee                                                        Mohawk
                                                                        Shawnee
                                                                        Shoshoni
                                                                        Sioux
                                                                        Stuart
                                                                        Wichita

 *Recommended varites for Brazoria County

Click here for more information on growing pecans.