Walnut trees are more than just their delicious nuts.
They also sport an amazing tree profile especially for their shade spread and their ornamental value.
It is the cousin of hickory and pecans.
In getting to know this tree more, here is some information that you may find handy later.
Walnut tree leaves
All walnuts share pinnate, feather-like leaves.
Some types like the English walnut have rounder and shorter leaves while the butternut have oblong, lancing leaves.
They have a distinct citrus aroma when sliced.
Walnut tree bark
Walnut barks are in between dark gray to brown.
When the bark is peeled, you would find chocolate brown wood.
They have rough, deep fissures all over with ridges vertically running along the trunk.
Some species like the butternut have smooth, whitish gray barks, though.
Walnut tree nuts
The nuts of this truth are actually called a drupe.
It is not the walnuts fruit but its seed.
The taste is earth and sweet.
It is one of the oldest trees out there and is well-archived in literary texts.
Here are other tree symbolisms that you should know about.
What do walnut trees look like?
The walnut is a large deciduous tree, with broad leaves.
When broken, it reveals chocolate brown wood that is prized for timber.
Its leaves are feather-like and finely serrated at the edges.
It produces a broad canopy and is known for its fruits with green husks and brain-shaped, edible seeds.
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How many types of walnut trees are there?
There are at least 21 types of walnut trees.
What is the difference between black walnut and English walnut trees?
Being the two most popular walnut types out there, it is important that these two be differentiated.
It is also called as the cedro negro and the Columbian walnut.
They are distinct for their red-colored inner wood which is a high-prized timber in the lumber industry.
The bark is dark-gray with deep fissures and vertical furrows.
It could reach a height of 130ft and is now listed as endangered in its native range.
It is rarely found in the US.
It is distinct for its tiny, earthy-tasting nuts.
Its bark is deeply fissured, with gray-brown color, horizontal furrows, and flat ridges.
Its leaves are pinnate, oblong, and lancing.
Each branch has 9-15 leaflets.
Its native habitat would be riverbeds and ravines.
As such, it is also called the river walnut.
It is native to Mexico and the southwest US.
It also sports diamond-shaped ridges.
It grows in moderately cool to subtropical climates at around 75-130ft.
It has the same spread length.
It is also called the American walnut and can live for up to 130 years.
It produces catkins in the summer and both the stems and leaves smell citrusy.
The downside among black walnuts is that they ooze out a toxic chemical which contaminates the soil.
While they thrive in full sun, butternut cannot tolerate too much heat.
The seed of the butternut is more buttery than earthy, hence the name.
Unlike the black walnut, butternut is gentle on the soil.
It thrives in warm climates into heights of 20-60ft.
Its leaves are smooth, olive green, and glossy.
It has 10-20 pairs of leaflets per branch.
It is native to Southern California with nuts that are bland and earthy.
It is also called the Madeira walnut or Persian walnut because this trees native habitat is southern Europe.
It produces round drupes that turn dark brown or black when they fall to the ground.
In Europe, its drupes are pickled and are considered as a native delicacy.
It has pinnate leaves with a solitary leaflet at the tip.
Compared to butternut and black nuts, the English walnut has fewer leaves.
Its flowers are salmon pink and bloom during spring.
It is also called the heartnut.
It grows at a max height of 30ft and thrives in warm climates.
Its fruit might be edible but is insignificant because it is more prized for its timber.
The leaves are slightly serrated, deep green in color, glossy, with 7-25 pairs in each branch.
It has drooping branches and forms a rounded crown on top.
Its native habitats would be riverbeds and ravines.
Its bark is grayish-brown, and the leaves are pale green in color.
Each branch is composed of 3-9 pairs of leaves with a terminal leaf at the tip.
It is fast-growing, reaching up to 60ft (sometimes even at 100ft).
It is also called the Chinese walnut and unlike other walnuts, it does not contain any toxic compound.
It has a short and bulky look with a crown that is wider than the tree.
This one is popular in the lumber industry because of its high-grade inner wood.
However, this is also the reason why it has been listed as endangered in California.
It is also called the Claro walnut or the Hinds black walnut.
Where do walnut trees grow best?
Walnut trees grow in a range of climates but specifically in well drained, deep, and fertile soils.
It also tolerates alkaline, loam soils.
It does not thrive in windy and frosty areas (but they could only tolerate up to -2C).
To grow black walnuts, here are its care requirements.
Walnut trees pests and diseases
Walnuts are not perfect and not generally disease resistant.
The silver lining to this is that some are quite hardy like the black walnut and English walnut.
And given proper care and maintenance, these would not even be a problem.
When do walnut trees bloom?
The leaves of walnuts fall by November and enter dormancy all winter.
When to prune walnut trees?
The best time to do the harvesting when it is time would be late August to mid-September.
To harvest walnuts, you must shake the tree for the hulls to fall.
Gather them up before they turn black.
English walnut trees growth rate
The English walnut is a fast-growing walnut.
It has a steady growth rate of 2-3ft per year.
This walnut bang out self-pollinates.
They are prized for the commercially sold walnuts they produce and are relatively resistant to common walnut diseases.
How fast do black walnut trees grow?
Black walnuts grow in the zones of Ontario, South Dakota, Georgia, Texas, and Florida.
They grow at a rate of 3-4ft per year.
This fast growth habit allows the black walnut to reach a height of 100ft and a shade of 40ft.
Can you eat walnuts from a walnut tree?
Most walnut trees have edible seeds.
As a matter of fact, you might crack the shell and eat the seeds right away.
The best tasting walnut seeds would come from the English walnut trees.
How much are black walnut trees worth?
As have been mentioned previously, black walnuts are not prized for their seeds but for their high-grade wood.
How long do walnut trees live?
Walnuts are also known for their longevity aside from their prized nuts and high-grade wood.
At an average, walnuts live for 40 years.
Remember that they have a deep root system and a branching root growth habit.
With this spacing, you’ve got the option to plant 48 walnut seedlings per acre of land.
This is because of the toxic component of the tree called juglone.
Where to buy black walnut trees?
With everything that we have covered here, you might have been convinced of buying one.
