Black Walnut
Juglans nigra 
Black walnut is one of the scarcest and most valuable native hardwoods. It is prized for its nuts and lumber. Walnut grows best on deep, alluvial soils. It is very site sensitive and growth rates decline rapidly with poorer site quality. A chemical in the leaves and nuts will kill some plants such as tomatoes and apples. Special notes: black walnut is the state tree nut.
Identifying Characteristics
- Height
- 85 ft,
- Spread
- 85 ft
- Leaves
- alternate, compound, 12" - 24" long with 13-23 leaflets; each leaflet 2" - 4" long, lance-shaped, edges finely toothed, yellow-green
- Flowers
- yellow-green catkin
- Fruit
- nut, 1" - 1 l/2" in diameter, covered with a thick yellow-green fibrous husk
- Bark
- young bark smooth and gray; older bark dark brown and furrowed
- Associated species:
- northern red oak, white oak, tulip tree
- Ideal site conditions
- moist soil, full sun
- Value to man
- food, wood products
- Value to wildlife
- food, cover, dens
- Growth Rate
- medium
- Range
