Juglans nigra - Black Walnut

Black walnut, scientifically known as Juglans nigra, is a deciduous tree native to North America. Here are some key points about black walnut:

1. Appearance: Black walnut trees can grow up to 100 feet tall and have a broad, spreading crown. The bark is dark and deeply furrowed, while the leaves are compound and composed of 15 to 23 leaflets.

2. Wood: Black walnut wood is highly valued for its beautiful grain and rich, dark color. It is commonly used in furniture making, cabinetry, flooring, and other high-end woodworking projects.

3. Nuts: Black walnuts produce edible nuts that have a strong, distinctive flavor. The nuts are encased in a thick, hard shell that can be challenging to crack. They are often used in baking, cooking, and as a topping for salads and desserts.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance.  Difficult to transplant due to deep taproot.  Potential diseases include anthracnose, bacterial blight, root rot, canker, leaf spot and shoot dieback. Watch for aphids, fall webworm and a variety of foliage chewing caterpillars.  Black Walnut produces chemical near drip line that is toxic to some plants.  Husks can stain skin and clothes.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Naturalized Areas, and Food Forests.

COMPANION PLANTS: Maple, Cardinal Flower, Fern

IMAGES:  Photo by F. D. Richards, Juglans nigra 2015 K4, (2) No machine-readable author provided. JoJan assumed (based on copyright claims)., Juglans nigra11, CC BY-SA 3.0, (3) I, Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, Tournai AR1aJPG, CC BY-SA 3.0, (4) Famartin, 2020-10-12 16 31 56 A Walnut tree turning yellow in autumn along a walking path in the Franklin Glen section of Chantilly, Fairfax County, Virginia, CC BY-SA 4.0

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.