Black Walnut

What other other tree is as multi-use as the black walnut?

It's a beautiful shade tree with spreading branches perfect for rope swings. It's a favorite nesting tree for Baltimore Orioles. It's leaves and hulls are the source of a natural antiparasitic compound and iodine. The hulls are useful for dying cloth dark brown. The nuts, which have 2x the protein of English walnuts, are delicious in baked goods and salads and a favorite of squirrels.

And as if that weren't enough, the gorgeous dark heart wood is highly sought after by craftsmen and currently commands one of the highest prices of any of our native hard woods. It's even been planted by folks as a retirement account.

Is there anything bad about the black walnut?

Well, possibly.

Black walnuts, like all members of the juglandacae genus, emit juglone, a chemical which limits the growth of sensitive plants around its roots.

However, many native plants do just fine around black walnut. Click here to see a list.

The black hulls will also stain your hands dark brown and the nuts are large and very hard... ankle-breakers, one friend calls them. If, however, you are willing to pick up nuts in the fall and carefully choose the companions for this gorgeous tree, it will reward you with beauty, medicine, food, wildlife habitat and even gorgeous lumber.

Plant at least two trees for heavier yields.

Black walnuts cannot be shipped to MO, KS, IN, MI IA, NE, MN.

1 year-old seedling bare root plants approx. 10-20" tall

*Ship in spring and fall

Hardiness zone: 4-9

Mature height: 70-80 ft.

Begin bearing in 7-10 years.