Pecan

Specs

Common Names

Pecan

Scientific Name

Carya illinoinensis

Origin

South-central United States and Mexico

Appearance

Heartwood tends to be light to medium brown, with a reddish hue; sapwood is a paler yellowish brown. Grain is usually straight, though occasionally wavy. Texture is medium, with a low natural luster. Endgrain: Ring-porous to semi-ring-porous; large to very large earlywood pores in a single intermittent row, medium to small latewood pores solitary and radial multiples of 2-3, few; tyloses common; parenchyma reticulate (bands absent from earlywood row in true hickory group, but present in pecan hickory group); narrow rays, close spacing.

Avg. Dried Weight

46 lbs/ft3 (735 kg/m3)

Janka Hardness

1820 lbf

Modulus of Rupture

13,700 lbf/in2 (94.5 MPa)

Elastic Modulus

1,730,000 lbf/in2 (11.93 GPa)

Crushing Strength

7,850 lbf/in2 (54.1 MPa)

Shrinkage

Radial: 4.9%, Tangential: 8.9%, Volumetric: 13.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.8

Durability

Considered to be non-durable to perishable regarding heartwood decay, and also very susceptible to insect attack.

Workability

Difficult to work, with tearout being common during machining operations if cutting edges are not kept sharp; the wood tends to blunt cutting edges. Glues, stains, and finishes well. Responds well to steam bending.