How does a Pecan tree lose it's graft?

Question

My in-laws have two beautiful Pecan trees that were planted about 30 years ago. These trees provide wonderful shade, but have never produced a single edible nut. The nuts are perfectly formed, there are plenty of them, but they are rotten. This spring, I applied zinc to the base of the trees, and was planning to fertilize again this fall. I told my mother in law yesterday about what I had done and planned to do, she said that it was a waste of money and time since the trees had lost their graft. Can this really happen? How? Can it be reversed?

Answer 1

Pecan, Carya illinoinensis is a monoecious plant, which means the male flowers and female flowers are borne on the same tree. You do not need 2 trees to get fruit.

This tree is also grows on its own root stock, it is not a grafted plant.

I do not know why the fruit is rotten, but Pecans do have many insect and disease problems. This tree is not a great landscape tree, and it does seem like you need many trees to get a good quantity of fruit.

You can contact Dr. Darrel Sparks , department of Horticulture, University of Georgia for much more information.

Answer 2

Some fruit and nut trees aren't self fertile and the branch of a pollinator is often grafted to the tree. The fact they form nuts makes me think they are self fertile or pollinating each other. Talk to your County Agent, it's free if you consider tax money free. It sounds more like disease or "wee-beasties" RScott