Why are pecans so tied to Seguin?
The history runs deep. In 1919 the Texas Legislature named the pecan the state tree, and Governor James Stephen Hogg had asked that a pecan be planted at the head of his grave (Texas A&M Forest Service, July 3, 2023; checked Nov 14, 2026). Seguin put up the original World's Largest Pecan downtown in 1962, in front of the Guadalupe County Courthouse. Today's version, a fiberglass pecan 16 feet by 8 feet, sits in the Big Red Barn at the Texas Agricultural Education & Heritage Center (Visit Seguin; checked Nov 14, 2026).
The ground plays a part too. The USDA's Seguin soil series is a deep, well-drained, moderately permeable soil formed in alluvium beside streams and rivers, with its type location in the Guadalupe River flood plain in Guadalupe County. Its native vegetation is pecan and elm with grasses such as big bluestem underneath, and it is used mostly for pasture and pecan orchards (USDA NRCS; checked Nov 14, 2026).
Max Starcke Park shows the same story in town. The city's largest park covers 227 acres along the Guadalupe River, and its 18-hole golf course was carved out of a riverside pecan grove (Seguin EDC). The park was built by the WPA and NYA in 1937 and 1938 on land that had been a pecan orchard, designed by Robert H.H. Hugman, the architect of the San Antonio River Walk, and named for Mayor Max Starcke (Living New Deal; both checked Nov 14, 2026).
What goes wrong with big pecan limbs?
A mature pecan is a tall tree with long side limbs, and the weight sits far out from the trunk. When a limb like that fails, it can tear out at its base, peeling bark and wood down the trunk and leaving a large open wound, and it lands with real force on whatever is below: a roof, a fence, a parked car.
Storms here load trees in different ways. During February 2021, the weather service logged 3.0 inches of snow just south-southwest of Seguin and 6.0 inches southeast of Kingsbury, and San Antonio's airport stayed below freezing for 4 days 12 hours. The March 21, 2022 tornado near Kingsbury did substantial damage to trees, and the May 26, 2026 tornado north of New Berlin left widespread tree damage (NWS; checked Nov 14, 2026). Storm-damaged trees covers what to do when one comes down.
Should my pecan be trimmed or taken down?
Trimming fits a healthy pecan with a few problem limbs: dead wood in the crown, limbs resting on or hanging over the roof, or long limbs over the driveway that can be shortened to take weight off their ends. Ask the contractor which limbs they'd cut and how much of the crown they'd leave.
Removal comes up when the trunk has split, when a torn-out limb has left a wound that runs deep into the trunk, when a large part of the crown is dead, or when the tree has started to lean toward the house. A tall pecan close to a house usually comes down in roped sections, and a crane may be needed when there's no safe way to lower the pieces. See tree removal for how that job goes.
Does Seguin protect pecan trees?
Pecan is on the city's preferred tree list, so a pecan 6 inches or more across at 4.5 feet is a protected tree on land the permit covers, such as unplatted acreage or commercial property. A house on a platted single-family lot is exempt from the Tree Removal Permit (UDC Sec. 5.2.8.B.5), storm damage is exempt everywhere in the city (Sec. 5.2.8.B.2), and state law generally bars a city from forbidding removal of a dead or diseased tree, except on property within five miles of an active military base (§212.905(h)) (all checked Nov 14, 2026). Seguin tree permit rules.
What does pecan tree work cost?
National guides price removal by height, and a big pecan usually falls in the upper rows. These are national figures checked Nov 14, 2026, not Seguin prices.
| Item | Figure | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Removal, 60 to 80 ft | $650 to $2,000 | HomeGuide |
| Removal, over 80 ft | $1,200 to $2,700 | HomeGuide |
| Large tree, average | $1,264 | Angi |
| Height over 80 ft | Adds about $500 | HomeAdvisor (Apr 16, 2024) |
| Crane-assisted removal | $500 to $2,500 extra per crane day | HomeGuide |
| Trimming, average | About $450 | Angi |
The contractor's written quote for your pecan is what counts. All price tables.
What happens to the wood from a big pecan?
A pecan trunk cut into rounds is heavy, and Seguin's curbside pickup only takes pieces up to 5 feet long, 12 inches across and 40 pounds, about once every five weeks (Living Green in Seguin guide, 2023; checked Nov 14, 2026). Decide before the job whether the contractor hauls the rounds and chips, or whether you're keeping some of the wood. Burning brush outside the city depends on the county's burn status; inside Seguin, check with the city first.
Pecan questions from Seguin homeowners
A pecan limb fell on my car. Who pays?
The Texas Department of Insurance says comprehensive coverage on the car is what pays for a tree falling on it (checked Nov 14, 2026).
Can I get someone out to look at my pecan?
Send a request and choose "Oak or pecan concern," or call (830) 406-4266. One independent contractor serving Seguin and the nearby towns receives it.
Sources: Texas A&M Forest Service, state tree (July 3, 2023); Visit Seguin; USDA NRCS, Seguin series; Seguin EDC, outdoor activities; Living New Deal, Max Starcke Park; NWS Austin/San Antonio on the February 2021 winter storm and the Mar 21, 2022 tornado; NWS damage survey, May 27, 2026; City of Seguin plant lists; Seguin Unified Development Code; Texas Local Government Code §212.905; HomeGuide; Angi; HomeAdvisor; Living Green in Seguin (2023); Texas Department of Insurance. All checked Nov 14, 2026.