Monday, October 10, 2011

Permaculture Plants: Walnut Trees

What may be the largest Black Walnut tree in the world on Sauvie Island, Oregon.
Note the man standing to the right of the base of the tree.

Common Name: Walnut (Black, English, Persian, Carpathian)
Scientific Name:
Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
Juglans regia (English/Persian Walnut, Carpathian Walnut)
Family: Juglandaceae

Comparison of Black Walnut (left) to English/Persian Walnut (right)
Each plate contains all meat from 10 walnuts of each species

Description:
This very large deciduous tree is a popular nut and lumber tree.  There are 21 species of tree in the Juglans genus.  The most commonly grown tree for nuts is the English or Persian Walnut.  The Carpathian Walnut is a more cold-hardy variety of the English/Persian Walnut, but many people consider them interchangeable.  In the United States, the Eastern Black Walnut is a very common tree for nuts, which is prized for its stronger flavor but much more difficult extraction; however, it may be even more valued for its high quality wood from a relatively fast growing tree.  Walnuts are great shade trees, great nut producers, and may be considered a wise investment for your children or grandchildren.

English Walnut 1901 - A.W. Mumford 


History:
The English/Persian Walnut is native to Central Asia.  Alexander the Great introduced this tree to Macedonia and Greece in the 4th century B.C.  The Romans continued this spread throughout Europe, England, and northern Africa.  It was introduced to the Americas in the 17th century by colonists.

The Black Walnut is native to the eastern United States.  It was introduced to Europe in 1629 to be used primarily as a high quality wood tree.  It is more cold-hardy than the English/Persian Walnut.

Trivia:

  • Walnuts are the second larges nut crop in North America, second to almonds
  • The Black Walnut has a stronger flavor and more crunch than the English/Persian Walnut but is way more difficult to extract the nut meat
  • Walnuts can be tapped in spring and produces a sweet sap that can be drunk or boiled down into syrup
  • The Black Walnut is a very valuable tree, and there are actually walnut tree poachers in the United States - one case involved a 55 ft (16 m) tree that was worth $2500 in 2004
  • Many English/Persian Walnuts are planted on Black Walnut root stock
  • The Black Walnut is the host plant for caterpillars of the luna and regal moths - beautiful


Beautiful Black Walnut in autumn.

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:
  • Fresh eating (raw)
  • Roasted
  • Dried
  • High quality lumber - very hard and very pretty, so it is used for flooring, furniture, and things like gunstocks, paddles, and tools

Secondary Uses:
  • Walnut oil
  • Hulls can make a brown dye for yarn, cloth, etc. and can even be used as a wood stain.
  • Walnuts can be tapped like a maple tree to make syrup 
  • Dynamic accumulator (Need definition) – Potassium, Phosphorus (Black Walnuts also accumulate Calcium)
  • General insect pollen source
  • Extracts from the green husks of walnuts have insecticidal properties
  • Can be coppiced
  • Medicinal uses: nuts contain antioxidants, appear to protect the arteries, and may slow cognitive-decline

English/Persian Walnuts about to break from their husks while still on the tree.

Black Walnuts ripen in their husks, but the husks do not break open on the tree.

A ripe and recently husked Black Walnut nut - not an easy process!

Yield: 
Depends on the size and age of the tree:
Juglans nigra (Black Walnut) – 20 lbs (9 kg) to 100 lbs (45 kg)
Juglans regia (English/Persian Walnut) – up to 6 bushels (210 liters); produces more than J. nigra

Harvesting:
  • Late August – October, depends on species, variety, and USDA Zone
  • English Walnut nuts will fall from green husks when ripe.  Usually pick nuts from the ground or from nut catching nets if you place them and then shake the tree.  Commercial nut producers will have tree-shakers.
  • Black Walnut nuts fall with husk in place.  The husk must be removed to get to the nut which must be shelled to get to the meat.  They nuts taste better when the husk is still green and not black.  There are many methods to extract the nut from the husk, but a hammer is often used.  Once the nut is extracted (this process will stain everything), toss out nuts that are black and oily.  Drop the rest of them in a bucket of water, and toss out the ones that float.  Drain the nuts and lay them out in a warm, dry location.  You can let them cure for over a month.  Toss out any that become moldy.  Then crack the nuts - a mounted vise works well - but be warned that cracking Black Walnut nuts can cause sharp shells to go flying.  All this work is worth it if you've ever really compared the taste of Black Walnuts with the more mild English/Persian Walnuts.

Storage: Dried nuts will store for 2-3 years

Black Walnut (top) and English/Persian Walnut (bottom) leaves

Black Walnut bark.  
English/Persian Walnut bark has wider grooving.


DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone:
Juglans nigra (Black Walnut) – Zone 4-7
Juglans regia (Carpathian Walnut) – Zone 5-7
Juglans regia (English/Persian Walnut) – Zone 7-9

AHS Heat Zone: 4-9
Chill Requirement: 400-1,500 hours/units depending on the species and variety

Plant Type: Large Tree
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Canopy Tree
Cultivars/Varieties: Many varieties available.

Pollination: Some varieties are self-fertile (self-pollinating), and some are not.  Most will have higher yields if they can cross-pollinate
Flowering: Late spring (May)

Life Span:
Years to Begin Bearing: 4-5 years for grafted varieties, 4-12 years from seedling
Years to Maximum Bearing: 10-15 years
Years of Useful Life: 100+ years

The flowers of the walnut tree.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 75-130 feet (25-40 meters) tall and wide, will grow taller if there is light competition
Roots: Taproot
Growth Rate: Medium to Fast (Black Walnuts grow faster)

Looking up into a Black Walnut.

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates light shade (about 50%)
Moisture: Medium moisture.  The Black Walnut can tolerate less moist soils.
pH: 6.1-7.5 (Neutral to slightly alkaline)

Special Considerations for Growing: 
  • Walnut roots and leaves produce juglone, a chemical that inhibits the growth of certain plants.  Make sure that surrounding trees and underplanted plants can tolerate juglone.
  • Black Walnuts can be difficult to shell – just make sure you have a heavy-duty nut cracker.  I’ve read about people who just run over them with their car to minimize the hassle, but the hassle is worth it!
  • Certain Walnut specific diseases exist.  Choose disease resistant varieties to avoid these problems.
  • Rodents can be a problem for seedlings and young trees – they like to eat the bark.

Propagation:  
Usually grafted from improved varieties.  Walnuts grown from seed or wild stock typically have nuts that do not taste as good, and they also take longer to start producing a harvest; however, they are just fine for wood.  If starting from seed, they will need 90 days stratification.

Maintenance:
If planning on using as lumbar, then prune for a strong central leader.  Otherwise, they don’t need much once established.

Concerns:
  • This is a large tree.  Only raise it if you have the space or plan on cutting it down before it gets too large.
  • Walnut roots and leaves produce juglone, a chemical that inhibits the growth of certain plants.  Make sure that surrounding trees and underplanted plants can tolerate juglone.





26 comments:

  1. thanx for all the valuable info! i am trying to establish a permaculture farm in greece and it is impossible to find data, and yours is clear and concise (and mentions all the cons, too, not only the prs like a lot of people do!)
    the hardiness and heat zones mean nothing to me as i am out of the US, can you guide me to find the definitions of each zone so i can determine where my area falls, more or less?

    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great comment. Check back next week... I plan on posting an article about Hardiness Zones around the world.

    John K

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello john I am farmer in Nepal. I have a small question.. What about kiwi and walnuts combination?...a small doc by jefs laenmans shows he planted kiwi n walnut

      Delete
  3. Thank you for distinguishing between english/black walnuts. My (previous) neighbor was totally ignorant about black walnut tree. He planted it within 2 feet of our fence line! I was more ignorant and did not realize that it would grow to push over my expensive retaining wall. So now I want to capitalize on the situation: I would like 'catch' the thousands of walnuts that fall to my property. Our properties are terraced, so how can I prevent them from landing on the ground and sprouting as new trees? Any ideas? Thanks for your time and reply.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Does anyone know if walnuts were called "juggles" in the 1800's? My 3rd great grandfather of S. Illinois wrote in his journal in 1872 that he was going into the woods to gather up some juggles. Just noticing that the scientific name for Walnut trees is Juglans, it just occurred to me that maybe he was looking for walnuts. Someone else suggested that twigs, stick, small branches were called juggles and he might have been collecting them for kindling. I think the walnut explanation makes more sense. Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Philippine pili nuts from the Bicol region in the Philippines is a great Filipino or Philippines food orsnack. Pili nuts are very healthy and nutritious indeed, being a source of energy, potassium and iron.They also have protein, dietary fiber / fibre, and calcium as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  I know they have no cholesterol, no trans fat, and the unsalted ones have no sodium. What is great about the pili nut snack or treat is that they are so crisp, rich, and delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can also grow in Camiguin Island Philippines?

      Delete
  6. This is very unhelpful�� I wanted to know were they grow. So were do they grow???

    ReplyDelete
  7. What should be the temperature for walnut tree to grow,
    And in which month it grows.
    Text someone on my e-main id
    (amanullah103@gmail.com)
    thanks a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. very practical information, thanks to the author! It is a lot of carpathian nut, and here it is possible to meet black in parks In Ukraine. I myself am engaged in breeding a dwarf nut, which grows from seed and begins to bear fruit from 2-4 years of life. Grows in height no more than 6 meters, 1year tree gives in 20 years approximately from 17 up to 35 kg of fruits. In Ukraine, such breeds were selected 40 years ago by breeders from Kiev and Kharkiv. I personally plant garlic, these nuts,beans, cultivate medicinal herbs and spices, some vegetables (sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, beetroot). Also, plant the rare berry (mountain ash, currant, viburnum, irga, dogwood, blackberry) and fruit trees (Rowan, mulberry, apricot, peach). I maintain blog bokoplidni.blogspot.com . Stas, Ukraine.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I also would like to know the differences between this tree and this one: Chandler Walnut Tree

    ReplyDelete
  11. WHAT A GREAT MIRACLE THAT I HAVE EVER SEE IN MY LIFE. My names are David
    Clara I’m a citizen of USA, My younger sister was sicking of
    breast cancer and her name is David Sandra I and my family have taking her
    to all kind of hospital in USA still yet no good result. I decided to go to
    the internet and search for cancer cure so that was how I find a lady
    called peter Lizzy she was testifies to the world about the goodness of a
    herbal man who has the root and half to cure all kind of disease and the
    herbal man email was there. So I decided to contact the herbal man for my
    younger sister help to cure her breast cancer. I contacted him and told him
    my problem he told me that I should not worry that my sister cancer will be
    cure, he told me that there is a medicine that he is going to give me that
    I will cook it and give it to my sister to drink for one week, so I ask how
    can I receive the cure that I am in USA, he told me

    That I will pay for the delivery service. The courier service can
    transport it to me so he told me the amount I will pay, so my dad paid for
    the delivery fee. two days later I receive the cure from the courier
    service so I used it as the herbal man instructed me to, before the week
    complete my sister cancer was healed and it was like a dream to me not
    knowing that it was physical I and my family were very happy about the
    miracle of Doctor so my dad wanted to pay him 5 million us dollars the
    herbal man did not accept the offer from my dad, but I don't know why he
    didn't accept the offer, he only say that I should tell the world about him
    and his miracle he perform so am now here to tell the world about him if
    you or your relative is having any kind of disease that you can't get from
    the hospital please contact dr.sakuraspellalter@gmail.com/ drsakuraspellalter.wordpress.com or whatsapp him
    +2348110114739 you can follow him up on instagram herbalist sakura for the cure, he will help you out with the
    problem. And if you need more information about the doctor you can mail me
    davidclara223@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey Driends I Read The Post Its Very Nice Info, Keep Write more. Also i share a Info of my blog in Hindi language पुरुषों के लिए अखरोट लाभ

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great post! Thanks for sharing such useful information. If you are also want to know something new related to Agriculture Farming In India then visit my website.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for sharing..... nice blog from

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for sharing nice blog from Pahani Agriculture land For Sale near Hyderabad

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is a fantastic primer on walnuts, thank you! I recently got the opportunity to try some, a gift from friends here in South Carolina USA, and wasn't certain about the tree's exact identification. The shells have a very rough, furrowed appearance, and the nut is difficult to extract, but the flavor is excellent. So I'm pretty sure it's black walnut.

    By the way, long time reader, thank you for all the work you do here :)

    ReplyDelete