The different varieties of pecan nut have diverse sizes, taste, more or less hard shell, etc. Moreover, there exist early and late cultivars, productive and rustic.

Some nut cultivars with hard shell are Shagbark, Shellbark, Mockernut, Pignut, Hican and Bitternut.

The most cultivated varieties in Florida (U.S.A.) are Mahan and Elisabeth, that belong to the species Carya ovata and Carya cordiformis. Another species which is commonly cultivated in the United States is C. Illoinensis.

Other interesting cultivars at commercial level are Stuart, Desirable, Western, Whitchita, Scheley, Moneymaker, Gloria Grande, Apache, Sioux, Shawnee and Barton.

In some areas of North America they produce pecan nuts of lesser quality, because the growth period is not long enough so as to enable the edible part to fully develop. Some of these varieties are Colby, Fritz, Giles, Greenriver, Mayor, Peruque, Posey, Starking and Witte.

Some varieties of pecan are:

‘Carya illonoinensis"
Thin shell and thicker kernel than the rest of species. Cultivated in the U.S.A. and appreciated by breeders and farmers. In France there are some trials of this culture in the South.

"Carya ovata’ and "Carya cordiformis"
Large fruit with thin shell; the kernel fills almost all the shell. It is a species cultivated in the U.S.A.. To these species belong the varieties Mahan and Elisabeth and some of these trees are cultivated in the Spanish Costa del Sol.

"Shagbark"
It belongs to the species C. ovata. Hard nuts, of ovoid or rounded shape, with thin shell and furrowed edible part.

"Shellbark"
Variety of the species C. lacinosa. Similar to " Shagbark", but with larger nuts and thiner shell.

"Mockernut"
It belongs to the species C. Tomentosa. It bears very hard nuts, with a thin shell.

"Pignut"
C. glabra and C. ovalis. Sweet edible part, but not a very important variety.

"Bitternut"
C. cordiformis. Nuts with thin shell, but of very astringent taste.

"Hican"
Obtained from the cross of Pecan x Hickory. Low quality, scarcely full nuts. It usually has a scarce yield.

"Witchita’
The percentage of weight of the kernel in respect to the fruit is 60. It is of average earliness. 1kg includes between 90 and 130 nuts.

"Apache’
The percentage of weight of the kernel in respect to the fruit is 60. It is a late variety. 90 to 110 nuts/kg.

"Sioux"
The percentage of weight of the kernel in respect to the fruit is 60. It is an early variety. 1kg contains 120 to 160 nuts.

"Shawnee’
The percentage of weight of the kernel in respect to the fruit is 60. It is an early variety. 1kg contains from 100 to 140 nuts.

"Barton"
The percentage of weight of the kernel in respect to the fruit is 58. It is an early variety. 1kg contains from 90 to 120 nuts.