Olmsted Hardy Pecan

The hardy pecan tree was used by Frederick Law Olmsted to create shade and framing at the U.S. Capitol. The pecan trees at the Capitol don't produce fully developed pecans as the regional growing season is not long enough.

There is one original pecan tree still living on the U.S. Capitol campus today. The pecan growing on the West Front Grounds near Peace Monument is the tallest tree on the Capitol complex at 110 feet and shrinking. This tree has undergone several cycles of retrenchment pruning, a phased form of crown reduction which is intended to mimic the natural process by which post-mature trees shed small branches and to favor development of the lower crown. This preservation strategy allows the tree to retain its overall biomechanical integrity by becoming smaller while improving overall all tree vitality.

About the Olmsted Originals

Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted's 1874 General Plan for the U.S. Capitol Grounds sought to create a setting to accentuate the monumentality of the Capitol Building. Approximately 45 of Olmsted's trees remain today, having endured more than a century of urban life on the front stage of American democracy.

Each tree has its own unique features and preservation challenges, and the Architect of the Capitol's arborists employ industry best management practices to ensure these trees are given the very best care to remain safely in the landscape for current and future generations to enjoy.