What kind of walnut tree

Both grow best in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9. These deciduous trees, which grow to over 75 feet tall, are treasured for their hardwood, nuts and shade-producing canopies. The bark is an amalgam of deep ridges running vertically on the trunk and is gray in color.

Identify the trees of the Juglans family by removing a piece of bark to reveal a deep chestnut brown that contrasts with the gray of the trunk. Both black and butternut, also known as white walnut trees Juglans cinerea , produce toxic chemicals that are released in the soil. Identify them by the lack of vegetation growing under the tree in a circumference of up to 80 feet.

Of the 21 varieties of walnut trees found in North America, the three prominent trees grow in specific geographic locations, according to Garden Guides.

The trees' height, leafing patterns and walnut size distinguish them from one another, with the black walnut the most common in North America. The black walnut that grows in the wild is the tallest of the walnut trees, reaching heights of over feet. Its branches are low, and it forms a rounded, open canopy.

Its fruit has three layers: a round, outer layer, a green husk and a black, hard shell extending to 1. 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. There are at least 21 types of walnut trees. The most popular ones would be English walnut, the California black walnut, butternut, little walnut, Andean walnut, and Japanese walnut.

Walnut tree types are native across Asia especially in China , as well as in North America and Europe. Being the two most popular walnut types out there, it is important that these two be differentiated.

If you are wondering how they are different, this is a table of comparison of the black walnut and the English walnut. There are almost two dozen walnut types out there but listed here would be the most popular and are considered high-value walnuts.

If you are looking for the best walnut for your landscape or just curious about the best walnut types out there, here is a roundup of some of the most popular walnut trees. As the name implies, this slow-growing walnut is native to the Andes, specifically in Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru.

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 ft and is now listed as endangered in its native range. It is rarely found in the US. This one is relatively small compared to the other walnuts with a max height of ft and a spread of up to 65ft. 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 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. As the name suggests, the black walnut has a deep, fissured bark that is darker than the other types.

It also sports diamond-shaped ridges. It grows in moderately cool to subtropical climates at around ft. It has the same spread length. It is also called the American walnut and can live for up to 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. This one grows in hardiness zones of and is native to Argentina and Bolivia.

It grows to up to 80ft, known for its straight trunk, and is known for its prized lumber which is used in hardwood flooring. As a matter of fact, it is considered as the hardest walnut even harder than white oak and ironwood.

While it grows rarely in the northern hemisphere, it is cultivated ornamentally in more tropical climates in the US and Europe. This one is notable for its whitish-gray and smooth bark that turns rough and more deeply fissured at maturity. They are smaller in height compared to the black nut as they only reach a max of 66ft and grow in cooler and more temperate climates.

It is also distinguishable for its oval nuts compared to the round nuts of most walnuts , and their foliage is composed of fewer leaflets. 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. This one is the shrub version of the black walnut that grows either in a single stem or multiple stems.

It thrives in warm climates into heights of ft. It is distinguishable for its dark gray, and very thick bark with distinct, deep furrows running vertically down the trunk.

Its leaves are smooth, olive green, and glossy. It has pairs of leaflets per branch. It is native to Southern California with nuts that are bland and earthy. The English walnut has an olive-colored, smooth bark at youth and turns dark gray, rough, and deeply fissured at maturity. It grows at 65ft max and it is an important walnut because it is where commercially sold walnuts come from.

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. This one is often confused with butternut because they have the same oval shaped leaves and butter-flavored nuts.

The bark is also deeply fissured but with a lighter gray bark, and distinct grooves that look like webs. It reaches a height of 66ft and it has a unique heart-shaped, edible nuts instead of the usual round nuts. The leaves are composed of leaflets per branch, with a coarser texture and lighter green color than other walnuts. Its flowers are salmon pink and bloom during spring. It is also called the heartnut. The edges of each leaf will appear toothed or serrated like tiny etched zig-zags.

However, the leaves of English walnut trees are not toothed. The leaves will be slightly longer on butternut trees. English walnut trees have fewer leaves than both butternut and black walnut trees which have the most. Notice whether the leaves are greatly staggered or not. Instead, the leaves are arranged in an alternating fashion staggering like stair steps. The leaves of English walnuts are more spaced out, with about 0.

Look for a large or small terminal leaflet. Butternut walnut trees have a large end leaflet, sticking out in-line with the twig. English walnut trees also have a large terminal leaf, but with smooth not serrated edges.

Black walnut leaves have a much smaller leaflet protruding from the tip of the twig. Instead, they may have a small, fuzzy stub at the end of the twig. Slice open a twig to see if the inside is chambered. Use a small knife to slice open a twig length-wise. If you see small chambers separated by fibrous, vertical walls called "pith" , you know it's a walnut tree.

English and black walnut trees will have dark brown pith while butternut trees are light tan inside the twigs. Crush a leaf in your hands and smell it if you're still not sure. Crunch up a leaf or two between your hands and take in the scent. If it's any kind of walnut tree black, butternut, or English , it will smell like spiced citrus.

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Wear gloves to harvest the nuts from a black walnut tree to avoid staining your skin. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Use a sturdy nutcracker to break open the hard shells from black walnut trees. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Be careful if you choose to break open the casing of a walnut from a black walnut tree because the inner shell carries a residue that can stain your hands, clothing, and even concrete.

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