black walnut - KPU Plant DB

Scientific Name:

Juglans nigra

Pronunciation:

JU-glanz NYE-gruh

Common Name:

black walnut

Family Name:

Juglandaceae

Plant Type:

Tree - deciduous

Key ID Features:

Large wide-spreading tree; leaves oddly pinnate, commonly with (11-)15(-23) leaflets; fruit is a large brown to yellow and drupe-like. Winter ID: lateral buds small, superposed, dark brown; new growth and buds pubescent; leaf scar 7-11mm wide, 3-lobed (resembles a monkey face); pith chambered.

Habit:

Horizontal, Open, Spreading

Form:

Oval - horizontal, Round

Texture:

Coarse

Mature Height:

22 - 30m

Mature Spread:

15 - 25m

Growth Rate:

Moderate

Origin:

Canada - eastern, U.S. - northeast

Hardiness Rating:

Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)

Exposure:

Full sun

Soil/Growing Medium:

Well-drained

Water Use:

Moderate

Landscape Uses:

Herb, Specimen plant, Tall background, Wildlife food, Winter interest

Additional Info:

Google. Compare to English walnut.

Leaf Morphology:

Glossary

Form:

Compound

Arrangement:

Alternate

Texture/Venation:

Soft flexible

Surfaces:

Lustrous, Distinctive smell

Compound Leaf:

Odd-pinnate

Colour in Fall:

Yellow

Shapes:

Lanceolate

Apices:

Acuminate

Margins:

Serrate

Additional Info:

Spectacular fall colour, 15 (-23) leaflets per leaf

Inflorescence Type:

Catkin (ament), Floriferous

Flower Morphology:

Monoecious plant

Number Of Petals:

0

Ovary Position:

Perigynous

Colour (petals):

Showy, Yellow, Green

Flower Scent:

None

Flower Time at Peak:

Mar, Apr

Fruit Type:

Edible, Nut

Fruit Colour:

Yellow, Brown

Fruiting Time:

Sep, Oct

Additional Info:

Not showy, Accessory tissue, Edible, The husk tissue is formed from fused bracts and sepals (this is more obvious in related species). The husk and the hard endocarp-like shell making them look very much like drupes, but they are botanically more nut-like than drupe-like with accessory bract tissue. But also because of the hard endocarp shell many consider them pseudodrupes or drupe-like nuts.