Plant
Pecan
19 US plant patents name this plant. 4 have expired, so those cultivars are free to propagate and sell. The next of the 15 still protected comes off patent on July 23, 2028.
Still under patent — 15 cultivars
Soonest to come off patent first. You may not propagate these for sale until the date shown.
- BYRDPP20867Pecan tree named ‘BYRD’UNDER PATENTJuly 23, 2028
- ECLIPSEPP22729Pecan tree named ‘ECLIPSE’UNDER PATENTOctober 21, 2030
- MorrillPP23335Pecan tree named ‘Morrill’UNDER PATENTAugust 25, 2031
- ELLISPP25563Pecan tree named ‘ELLIS’UNDER PATENTDecember 13, 2031
- CunardPP24373Pecan tree named ‘Cunard’UNDER PATENTMay 31, 2032
- TreadwellPP25740Pecan tree named ‘Treadwell’UNDER PATENTNovember 5, 2033
- HuffmanPP25465Pecan tree named ‘Huffman’UNDER PATENTNovember 12, 2033
- TomPP26705Pecan tree named ‘Tom’UNDER PATENTJanuary 6, 2035
- WhiddonPP29316Pecan tree named ‘Whiddon’UNDER PATENTJuly 5, 2036
- TannerPP29422Pecan tree named ‘Tanner’UNDER PATENTJuly 5, 2036
- Ga. 00-7-75PP30227Pecan tree named ‘Ga. 00-7-75’UNDER PATENTApril 5, 2037
- PuebloPP34811Pecan tree named ‘Pueblo’UNDER PATENTOctober 20, 2041
- ZuniPP34879Pecan tree named ‘Zuni’UNDER PATENTFebruary 9, 2042
- SenecaPP34902Pecan tree named ‘Seneca’UNDER PATENTFebruary 9, 2042
- Ga. 03-6-32PP34933Pecan tree named ‘Ga. 03-6-32’UNDER PATENTMarch 4, 2042
Already in the public domain — 4 cultivars
Most recently freed first. Anyone may propagate and sell these plants — though the name it is sold under may still be a live trademark.
- EXCELPP16575Pecan tree ‘EXCEL’ varietyPUBLIC DOMAINMay 3, 2024
- James EarlyPP7419Pecan tree named `James Early` varietyPUBLIC DOMAINNovember 13, 2009
- McLeonPP5911Pecan tree named McLeonPUBLIC DOMAINSeptember 3, 2005
- GraCrossPP4236Pecan tree named GraCrossPUBLIC DOMAINApril 4, 1995
Botanically this is Carya. A patent expiring frees the plant, and its cultivar name with it — cultivar names cannot be trademarked. Any brand name it is sold under is a separate thing and may still be owned.