As a child , I loved swaying in the wind on a tire swing music suspended from a sturdy branch of the black walnut tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on our holding . That huge tree diagram was also good for climbing because of its strong , upward - spreading arm , although the rasping , deep groove bark could be a bit rough on the hands !

verbal description

The eastern calamitous walnut tree(Juglans nigra)is a purple deciduous tree native to eastern and primal regions of the United States . A member of the Juglandaceae family , this large species boasts dense foliage cover with a beautiful oval crown . sort as a repeated stone fruit tree , it is well - known for generous clusters of eatable “ drupes ” ( skin - embrace , fleshy fruit with one central pit and seed ) , which we refer to as ignominious walnuts .

The round , bad , green drupes , which turn brown as they mature , are roughly 2 ½ inches in diam . Beneath their bumpy outer software , each drupe has a black husk ( or Isaac Hull ) containing a substance that will defile clothing and skin , so be careful when handling drupe . Deep inside each drupe is a dark brown fruit ( or kernel ) commonly known as a blackened walnut tree . These drupes mature in September to October , but no fruit will look until the tree is at least 4 – 6 year of age , so do n’t lose promise if your tree diagram seems barren at first .

opprobrious walnut trees develop up to 100 + feet marvellous , with 70 - understructure - encompassing canopies and trunks up to 6 foot in diameter . The dark gray barque is quite distinctive with a rhombus - shape pattern running vertically up the muscular trunk . The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s spear - shape leaflet appear in pinnately - chemical compound arrangements that tend to flag downwards . These leaves turn golden yellow in fall , dropping to the ground early in the fall and not re - appearing again until belated spring . In fact , it takes so long for flowers and leafage to leaf out ( tardy May ) that one might easy think the tree is dead . On the burnished side , many bleak walnut tree Tree will live a long , generative life and often give their nifty harvests after 30 years of age .

Reproduction

A black walnut tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ismonoecious , with both virile and distaff efflorescence appearing on the same plant in late May to other June . manful flowers are thin yellowish - green catkins , while female flowers grow as shortsighted , green , spiky clusters . Wind pollenation is the primary method acting for facts of life , and regeneration frequently occur when squirrels bury black walnut in the earth around the tree .

Climate and Soil Requirements

bleak walnut tree trees grow in zones 4 – 9 . They preferneutral pHand rich , well - run out ground ( moist loam is best ) , but they tolerate drought and moderate , intermittent implosion therapy . Their sizeable tap root is deep and widely propagate , which enable effective water collection in drier conditions . These trees are commonly found in riparian zone – modulation place between forest , creeks , and rivers – or scattered on the edges of wooded orbit . They flourish in full sun and will not do well in fond nicety . Another noticeable characteristic is that a black walnut tree often appear as a “ solo ” in the landscape , without many other plant life nearby . Why ? Because it isallelopathic , or capable of suppress the growth of other plant life .

perniciousness

A chemical call juglone is observe in the leaves , bark , roots , and en chaff of a black walnut tree . This toxic subject matter is a respiration inhibitor that can strip other organisms of the energy needed for their own metabolic activity . plant life that are sensitive to juglone may exhibit negative symptom rather speedily , turn yellow or dark-brown , look stunt , wilting , and eventually die . Depending on the drainage and soil type of the moved area , juglone can remain present in the grime for extended periods of time .

Juglone is strong beneath the canopy of a black walnut tree , so it is best not to grow other industrial plant or fruit Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree within the dribble line . The recommendation is to keep other planting at least 70 feet forth from this type of tree . Due to potential deleterious effects on other plant , keep off using Ellen Price Wood splintering , bark , or leaves from a black walnut tree tree as mulch on any garden beds . However , some flora , such as hickory , oak , and sycamore trees , cantolerate juglone and are less susceptible to the ominous effects of that chemical . For a comprehensive list of plants that are either sore or tolerant of that toxic subject matter , visit this webpage . ­

Juglone may cause allergic reactions in some homo , but others may have negligible sensitivity to this chemical . modest symptoms include urticaria or itch , and more severe reaction include trouble respiration , disgorgement , fainting , or puffiness of the face or throat . bounder and other animals who consume moldy walnuts are subject to fit , so be certain to clean up fallen drupe under your own black walnut trees if you have pets . Fresh wood skimming from black-market walnut tree trees may top to laminitis in horse cavalry , although well - elderly skimming do not make that problem .

One more warning banker’s bill about planting location : A profuse crop of opprobrious walnuts can be hazardous . Drupes can fall onto pedestrian , who might also trip on them , so avoid constitute this Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree near sidewalks or residential driveways . Plus , it can be peculiarly hard to hit those obscure stains from shoes !

Diseases

Black walnut tree tree diagram are susceptible to some disease . The most serious is walnut anthracnose , a fungal disease which lead to darken leaf spot , premature leaf fall from the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and potentially decoct nut craw . Anintegrated pest direction approachis recommend to control this disease before it becomes widespread in a black walnut tree . Another problem is thousand cankers disease ( TCD ) , which begins when walnut twig beetles carry fungal spore burrow into the bark to feed on sizable bast tissue . This results in canker formation , or beat tissue beneath the barque , which impedes the stream of important nutrients throughout the tree . Unfortunately , there is no presently - make love method to save up a black walnut tree infected with TCD .

economic value and Uses

In terms of wildlife support , the black walnut tree is a true succeeder ! disgraceful walnut are a favorite treat for squirrel and birds , and deer will wipe out the young bud . The tree is a host plant for more than 100 different species of butterfly and moths , and easterly screech owls will make their homes in black walnut tree tree .

Lumber from black walnut trees is highly prized for its lastingness and unique appearance . This hard Ellen Price Wood is often used to make article of furniture , flooring , and facing . Isaac Hull extracts are used to make dyes and in natural tomentum coloring treatment . In plus , ground up carapace from the fruit have interesting software : as a non - skid component of car tires , makeweight for dynamite and stack scrubbers , and for cleaning special K railway locomotive .

I ’m felicitous to say that serious understanding of this unusual tree diagram has boosted my enchantment withJuglans nigra .

Featured photo : Melissa top executive

resourcefulness

Virginia Tech Dendrology Fact Sheet ( vt.edu )

Virginia Tech Dendrology ( vt.edu )

Black Walnut : A Favorite for Flavor – State Parks Blogs ( virginia.gov )

PLANT SPOTLIGHT : Black Walnut ( Juglans nigra ) – Philadelphia Orchard Project ( phillyorchards.org )

Black Walnut Trees ( usda.gov )

Native Plant Profile : Black Walnut ( usda.gov )

Black Walnut Toxicity ( purdue.edu )

Working with the Black Walnut ( psu.edu )

walnut tree : Thousand cankers disease | Hortsense | Washington State University ( wsu.edu )

North Carolina Forest Service ( ncforestservice.gov )

Walnut | Diseases and Pests , Description , Uses , Propagation ( psu.edu )

Black-Walnut-Toxicity.pdf ( wisc.edu )

The Toxicity Of Black Walnut Trees – Necps

Wintertime identification of contraband walnut tree – MSU file name extension

Native Plant Profile Juglans nigra(MD DNR )

Black walnut tree tree threatened by Thousand Cankers Disease – MSU Extension

https://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/fact-sheet/walnut-anthracnose-blotch/

Guide to venomous Plants – College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences ( colostate.edu )