Walnut Tree

The Walnut tree is among the most versatile hardwoods on the planet. In addition to yielding exceptional tasting nuts, its timber is treasured by carpenters and sculptors alike. The Walnut tree's wide array of uses also makes it a popular pick for homeowners looking to decorate their properties with a practical and profitable specimen.

Appearance of the Tree

Walnut trees are hard to miss. A mature tree can tower up to 100 feet tall with a leaf canopy of more than 40 feet wide, though most average between 60 and 70 feet. The tree is also very durable, with some living 200 years. In addition to its formidable physical presence and longevity, the Walnut tree has a number of other notable characteristics, including: Leaves: Walnut leaves are compound, meaning they are composed of a main stem and numerous separate leaflets. Up to 23 leaflets can be found on a single leaf. The long leaves remain green until autumn when they turn yellow and fall off the tree. Fruits: The tree's fruit is by far its most noteworthy trait. The walnut is housed in a hard, round, brown shell which features a host of grooves and furrows. The shell of the Black Walnut is green, though it turns blackish as the nut ripens. Flowers: The Walnut tree's flower is a yellowish-green drooping catkin which covers the tree in the spring. Bark: The bark of a mature Walnut tree sports deep ridges which form a diamond-like pattern. The bark's color ranges from a rich brown to dark gray. Walnut trees are also fast growers with some shooting up to 25 feet in less than 10 years.

Walnut Tree Types

There are nearly two-dozen different types of Walnut trees in the world, though most are native to the United States. Among the most popular are: Black Walnut: The tallest of all Walnut trees, the Black Walnut can grow as high as 100 feet. The tree's fruit grows in clusters and falls in autumn. The Black Walnut's shell is unique in that it contains a dark brown dye that will stain any item it comes in contact with. Butternut: This popular tree is also known as the White Walnut. It grows primarily in the northeastern portion of the United States and is shorter than its cousins, typically topping out at 60 feet. The tree's oval nuts have high oil content and are featured in a number of food products. Arizona Walnut: The tree grows in the canyons, desert and mountainous areas of Arizona through western parts of Texas. While it can reach heights of 50-plus feet it is generally classified as a shrub that stands roughly 20 feet tall. The tree produces small nuts with thin, hairy husks. Other types of Walnut tree include: Japanese Walnut Bolivian Walnut Southern California Walnut Northern California Walnut

 West Indian Walnut Manchurian Walnut Andean Walnut English Walnut Little Walnut Walnut trees may vary in size; however, they are harvested the same way by hitting the ends of the branches with a solid object. Knocking off both the nuts and the branch tips encourages new growth.

The Many Looks of the Walnut Tree Where the Walnut Grows
Walnut trees are predominantly grown in North America with California being the largest purveyor of the trees. The trees also prosper in other parts of the world, such as: Iran France Italy China India Turkey Romania Yugoslavia Walnut trees are thirsty specimens. They thrive in deep, moist soil and full sunlight. Younger trees need more water than mature ones, though both can benefit from mulch and a weed-free environment.

Popular Uses
he handsome tree is a joy for landscapers to work with. In addition to being attractive, Walnut trees are also prized for providing a ton of shade. That shade is a bonus for wildlife enthusiasts, who often grow Walnut trees on their properties to attract birds, squirrels and deer. Other popular uses for the Walnut tree are: Food: Walnuts are one of the healthiest nuts on earth. They contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, protein and antioxidants, which help stave off colds and other respiratory illnesses. In addition to their nutritional value, the nuts are delicious when added to brownies, cakes, breads, ice cream and tea. They are also popular as a topping for salads, yogurt and fruit. Wood: Walnut wood is highly valued due to its durability and color. The timber is used to make chairs, tables, floors and cabinets. The tree's wood is also used to craft music boxes, jewelry cases and caskets. Dye: Black Walnut trees are especially prized for their natural dyes. The built-in ink can be extracted from the tree and used to color fabrics, paper and hair. In addition to these uses, walnut shells can be ground and used as a cleaning agent for jet engines and as filler for dynamite.

Interesting Facts
In Ancient Greece, the walnut was referred to as "The Nut of Jupiter," as its vast array of attributes made it worthy of the gods. Today, the nuts are appreciated by a host of consumers, many of which may not be aware of these interesting walnut facts: Centuries ago, Native Americans would extract oil from the Walnut tree to cook corn and beans. It takes 10 growing seasons for most trees to produce mature fruit. California is home to more than 125,000 acres of Walnut trees. Picked walnuts should be stored in cool, dark environments. A handful of black walnuts contain more protein than two slices of bacon. Walnuts are the number one substitute for pecans in baking recipes.

Walnut Diseases
While the tree's nuts and wood may be hardy, the tree is not invincible. Walnut trees are susceptible to a number of diseases, such as: Walnut Blight: The bacterial disease affects the tree's nuts and typically occurs during extensive periods of wet and cool weather. The disease creates black spots on the tree's leaves and can create holes and spots on the nut's husks. Walnut Leaf Blotch: This fungus can spread extensively over a tree in a short period of time, especially during wet weather. The disease is spread by rain droplets dripping off infected parts of the tree. Symptoms of an infected tree include brownish blotches that appear on leaves and falling fruit. Honey Fungus: The fungus turns leaves yellow and forces them to droop and fall well before autumn. The disease travels from the roots and can spread throughout the tree, eventually rotting it to its core. Other less common Walnut tree diseases include crown gall, blackline, downy spot, and nectria. In addition, insects, such as codling moth, red spider mite, walnut weevil and husk flies also prey on Walnut trees.

Walnut Care
Walnut trees don't require an extensive amount of care to grow. However, your tree will benefit if you follow these simple tips: Plant the tree in deep, well-drained soil. Water Walnut trees regularly. Keep Walnut trees away from shorter plants that need sunlight to grow. Walnut trees should be placed at least 50 feet apart from one another and away from buildings, as their large canopies can interfere with power lines. Black Walnut trees should not be planted near other vegetation, as their dye-like substance can be toxic to other plants. Harvesting of nuts is critical, especially if you don't want to deal with having to pick-up fallen nuts. Finally, it's important to clean-up around the perimeter of a Walnut tree prior to mowing grass, as the hard nuts can potentially cause damage to you and your mower if the net gets caught in the machine's blades.

Thousand Cankers Disease of Walnut

A formal exterior quarantine for thousand cankers disease of walnut was signed into effect August 8, 2011. A few revisions were made to the emergency exterior quarantine that was issued in February 2011 based on public comments. Minnesota joins several other states within the native range of easter black walnut that have similar exterior quarantines in place (see map). Thousand cankers disease (TCD) occurs on walnut trees and is caused by a fungus carried by an insect. TCD has been reported in western and southwestern United States for several years. In 2010 it was detected in Tennessee and in 2011 it was detected in Virginia and Pennsylvania. As the disease spreads, it threatens eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra) in its native range, which covers all or parts of over 30 states, including southeastern Minnesota (map below). Thousand cankers is a disease that affects several kinds of walnut trees (Juglans species) and is caused by a fungus carried by an insect. Smaller than a grain of rice, the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis) (Figure 2a) enters the bark, making a tiny hole. The fungus (Geosmithia morbida) is introduced to the walnut tree as the beetle feeds on and tunnels into the inner bark (Figure 2b). The bark and phloem are killed by the fungus, causing a canker which is visible only if the bark is removed (Figure 3a). With thousands of beetle attacks, the number of cankers increase, (Figure 3b) eventually girdling and killing the branch or trunk. Death may occur in susceptible walnut species.

Where is thousand cankers disease?

At this time the disease is known to occur in western and southwestern United States, Virginia and Tennessee (map above). Southwest United States and Mexico are thought to be home of the original host of this insect/fungus complex, the Arizona walnut (Juglans major). While this species suffers little damage from the disease, eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra) is very susceptible.

Why do we care about thousand cankers disease?

Eastern black walnut is highly valued for lumber and veneer, nut meat industries in some states, and wildlife food. It is also an important tree along rivers and streams. The USDA Forest Service estimates that over 200 million eastern black walnut trees occur across its native range. Most eastern black walnut trees grow in natural stands of mixed hardwoods, with plantations accounting for only about 1% of the total volume. Walnut trees in landscapes grow as far north in Minnesota as Hibbing. While we do have black walnut trees planted in urban settings as far north as Lake of the Woods County, we are most concerned about the potential threat to eastern black walnut that occur naturally and in plantations in southern Minnesota. Our state has over 6,000,000 eastern black walnut trees, with one

to two million board feet of walnut wood harvested annually. Being on the northern edge of the native range, our trees tend to grow more, resulting in wood qualities that increase its value compared to wood from more southern areas. A close relative to eastern black walnut, butternut (Juglans cinera) also occurs in Minnesota, but the butternuts susceptibility to TCD is not known.

What are we doing about thousand cankers disease?

MDA is working to protect the states black walnut resource by preventing the introduction of TCD into Minnesota using regulation, outreach and early detection. The highest risk pathway for TCD movement is in walnut wood with bark on. On August 8, 2011, Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson signed a permanent exterior quarantine restricting movement of products that could be harboring TCD from those states known to have TCD and from other potentially infested areas into Minnesota. The list of walnut products covered by the quarantine includes: live walnut trees, walnut logs, walnut lumber, walnut nursery stock, wood chips and mulch made from walnut wood, walnut branches and roots, and packaging materials made from walnut wood. The quarantine also applies to all hardwood firewood. It does not apply to walnut nuts, nutmeat, walnut hulls, finished products made from walnut wood without bark, or processed lumber that is 100 percent bark-free, and kiln-dried with square edges. We are collaborating with our partner agencies and doing outreach to our many stakeholders, including walnut growers, millers, loggers, nursery operators, woodlot owners and tree care companies. TCD is one of the tree diseases taught in the First Detector Training program. In 2011 MDA is collaborating with the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to survey walnut trees in urban areas aroudn the state and in forest and riparian areas in southern Minnesota. For the second consecutive year we are also collaborating in a targeted survey to locate walnut trees in Minnesota that are showing unexplained dieback. In addition to serving as an early detection tool now, we hope the survey identifies sites for future trapping once a lure for the beetle is developed. Our emerald ash borer firewood inspectors have added walnut to their list of targeted species.

How can I tell if a walnut tree has thousand cankers disease?

A tree can have TCD for six to eight years before symptoms appear in the crown. Early crown symptoms include thinning, small leaves, yellow, brown or wilting leaves. Once a tree is actively wilting, you may see signs of the beetle and cankers under the bark of wilting branches as shown in Figures 2 and 3 above.

Walnut Furniture: Is It Made With Real Solid Wood?

For thick, organic slab tables we often use claro walnut wood from huge old (up to 100 years) shade trees that have been taken down (usually from city streets) because of safety reasons. These slabs typically have beautiful, interesting character resulting from things like burls and branches. For modern looking furniture, customers generally do not want "character wood" so we use younger walnut trees with straight grain patterns grown in managed forests in the mid-west (since walnut doesn't grow well in Vermont). This is the contemporary SoHo walnut 4 drawer chest, made by Copeland Furniture with solid, walnut wood. Whether you're shopping for organic, walnut slab tables or Modern walnut furniture, it's important to verify that you are indeed getting real, solid walnut wood, as opposed to cheaper woods that have been stained dark to look like walnut. Be sure to ask your salesperson to confirm the wood type and its origin before you buy. Ask if the furniture has been made from solid walnut wood or walnut veneers.
Black walnut wood is the only dark North American wood. It's prized by woodworkers for it's strength, grain and color which is a rich chocolate brown-- with occasional purple tones. There are over 20 species of walnut trees but it is the Eastern Black Walnut tree (aka: American Walnut) that is native to North America and is used for our walnut furniture. Vermont is home to a limited number of walnut trees as our soil is a bit too acidic and our climate a bit too cold, so much of our black walnut wood comes from Ohio, Indiana and other mid-North American states where it grows well and is sustainably harvested.

In pre-Colonial days, in its preferred habitat, black walnut trees reached heights of 150 feet tall and diameters of over 6 feet. Unfortunately in the US we have a history of unsustainable logging of the black walnut tree and it is now considered somewhat rare in North America. The American Mid-west is the main source for sustainably harvested walnut, where trees typically grow 75-100 feet tall with diameters of 2-4 feet. The trees grow slowly and can take up to 150 years to mature. As such, walnut furniture typically carries about a 20% premium price over other North American furniture woods such as cherry, oak and maple. Northernwoodlands.org speaks about this more. Black walnut wood is dark, hard, dense and tight-grained. It polishes to a very smooth finish and the color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate colour in the heartwood, as shown on left. With our furniture, unless a customer specifically requests incorporation of sapwood, we use primarily walnut heartwood and make every effort to keep the grain color consistent. Black walnut is often straight grained but is enjoyed for more figure variations than any other wood. Mineral deposits and pitch pockets are

rarely a concern in black walnut. Over the years walnut wood develops a lustrous patina. Because it is the only dark brown domestic species it has a large following of devoted woodworkers and furniture afficionados. Recently walnut wood has become a very popular wood for natural live edge tables. Aged urban walnut trees that have been taken down due to poor condition and safety considerations are being milled for large wood slices like those shown below. The walnut slices or slabs are then fashioned into artfully designed free-form live edge tables that showcase the natural beauty of walnut grain.

AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT Juglans nigra

Common Names
American black walnut, American walnut, Canadian Walnut, Black Hickory Nut, Gun Wood, Canaletto, Nogal, and Tocte.

History
The roots of the walnut tree release a toxic material which may kill other plants growing above them. Walnut is one of the few American species planted as well as naturally regenerated.

Did You Know?

From the time of ancient Greeks until well into modern European history, walnuts symbolized fertility and were strewn at weddings. Just the opposite, in Romania, brides who wished to delay childbearing placed into the bodice of their wedding dresses one walnut for each year they hoped to wait.

Distribution
Throughout Eastern U.S., but principal commercial region is the Central states. Average tree height of 100 to 150 feet.

Main Uses
Furniture, cabinets, architectural millwork, doors, flooring, paneling, and gun stocks. A favored wood for using in contrast with lighter-colored species.

Relative Abundance
1.9 percent of total U.S. hardwoods commercially available.

General Description
The sapwood of walnut is creamy white, while the heartwood is light brown to dark chocolate brown, occasionally with a purplish cast and darker streaks. The wood develops a rich patina that grows more lustrous with age. Walnut is usually supplied steamed, to darken sapwood. The wood is generally straight-grained, but sometimes with wavy or curly grain that produces an attractive and decorative figure. This species produces a greater variety of figure types than any other.

Availability
Reasonable availability with regional limitations.

The black walnut tree, or Juglans nigra, is one of about 15 walnut species. Black walnut trees represent a serious investment in time and effort. Often, only after decades of growing do black walnut trees produce the best nuts and lumber. Yet if black walnut trees are properly and patiently managed, they not only add beauty to a landscape, but also yield food, fuel, timber and possibly extra income. Lumber Black walnut wood commands high prices, due to its strength, color and low-shrinkage rates, according to the University of Minnesota Extension program. Manufacturers use black walnut to make veneers for furniture such as chairs and tables, and for walls and cabinets. Owners of black walnut groves may be able to supplement their income by selling to reputable dealers, or use the lumber to make furniture and cabinetry to sell or use in the home.

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Landscaping The striking shape and yellow foliage of black walnuts make them handsome specimen trees. They can be used to shade a house or in the background of large gardens. The trees' drawbacks include unsightly shell droppings and an underground toxin that inhibits the growth of other trees and plants. They should be placed only where they won't interfere with other plants. Wildlife enthusiasts appreciate the fact that the trees provide shelter for birds and food for squirrels and

deer. Food Considered one of the gourmet nuts, black walnuts add value to brownies, fudge, cookies, cakes, tea breads and more. They can be used in place of pecans or regular walnuts in baking recipes or when making homemade ice creams and sauces. Black walnut pieces are a healthier, high-protein alternative to bacon in a wilted spinach salad. They can be used to top fresh green or fruit salads to boost the nutritional value and flavor. Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant compounds, according to the The World's Healthiest Foods, a nonprofit website. Natural Hair Dye For centuries, women used walnut hulls to naturally darken graying hair, or to add dark highlights. Herbalist Jeanne Rose suggests using a greater ratio of crushed black walnut hulls to water for hair dyes, and using fewer shells when preparing a color-boosting hair rinse. For hair dyes, bring 3 or 4 tbsp. crushed, dried hulls to a boil in 2 cups water or vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and work through hair, leaving on for at least one hour before rinsing with plain water. For an herbal hair rinse, use 1 to 2 tbsp. crushed, dried shells in the water or vinegar and rinse hair with the strained mixture after shampooing. Fuel Walnut groves benefit from periodic thinning and pruning. Removing young black walnut trees enables the remaining walnut trees to get enough sunlight and soil nutrients to develop correctly. Pruning the trees achieves the same goal. The wood gleaned from these operations can be used for lumber, as mentioned previously, or for fuel in the fireplace or wood stove. Ink and Dyes Black walnuts yield rich colors suitable for natural dyes and inks. Recipes vary, but simmering whole or crushed walnuts with the shells and nutmeats may yield the best results. Gather the nuts as husks are blackening in late fall, rather than in the earlier, green stage. Soak overnight and simmer for several hours. Reduce the mixture to a thicker consistency for inks before straining and bottling. To dye fabrics or homemade papers, follow directions for natural dyes best suited to the textile or piece you plan to color.

Various species of walnuts and hickories are economically important trees for both their wood and their edible fruits which may be gathered in the wild but are now mostly grown in plantations.

The wood of black, English, and other walnuts is closegrained, dark-brown colored, and very strong. Walnut wood is used to manufacture lumber and veneers for fine furnitures and cabinets, and it is sometimes carved into components for artisanal furniture. A well-formed tree of black walnut with a good grain and solid core can be worth more than $12,000 as raw material for fine lumber or veneer. Because of this enormous per-tree value, walnut trees are sometimes illegally "rustled" from private or public property to be sold in a black market. Hickories also provide an excellent hard wood, used to manufacture fine furniture and wooden baseball bats. The best-known edible fruits harvested from species in the walnut family are those of the European or English walnut (Juglans regia), the black walnut (J. nigra), the pecan (Carya illinoensis), and the hickory (Carya ovata). The first three of these species are commonly grown in plantations established for the production of their fruits. When they reach a large size, the walnuts may be harvested from the plantations for their extremely valuable wood. However, this is not done for pecans because their wood does not have qualities that are as desirable as those of large walnut trees. The most important use of the fruits of walnuts and hickories is directly for eating. However, fresh walnut seeds contain about 50% of their weight as oil, which can be expressed from these fruits and used as an edible oil or to manufacture soap, perfume, cosmetics, or paint. Walnuts have sometimes been used as minor folk medicines. The inner bark of the black walnut can be used as a laxative, while the fruit rind has been used to treat intestinal parasites, ulcers, and syphilis. An infusion of boiled leaves has been used to get rid of bedbugs.

The doctrine of signatures was a medicinal theory that developed in Europe during the Middle Ages (about 500 to 1,500 years ago), but also occurred independently in some other cultures. This theory held that the potential usefulness of plants for medical purposes was revealed through the growth form of the plant or its parts. For example, a similarity between the form of the plant or its parts and some component of the human anatomy was commonly thought to reveal a signature of usefulness. When the hard, outer shell of a walnut is removed, the seed looks superficially like a human brain, viewed from above with the top of the skull removed. Consequently, it was believed that walnuts were somehow useful for the treatments of insanity and headaches. A woman, a dog and a walnut tree, the more you beat them, the better they be Walnuts are the favourite dry fruit of all of us but most of the people are not aware of the benefits and importance of this delicious fruit and its tree. We wrote this article to enlighten the benefits of walnut tree. We hope that you will find it valuable. Walnuts are the plants of the family Juglandacea. They are deciduous trees which grows upto height of 30130 feet and has around 21 species. Fortunately Pakistan is rich in the production of walnut. A large number of walnut trees are present in the areas of Galliat, Abbotabad, Swat, Dir, Shangla, Buner, and Chitral. If these tree species are properly cared on government level, they are not less than gold for the economy of the country. Walnut seeds are high density source of nutrients, particularly proteins and essential fatty acids. There are two major varieties of walnuts grown for its seeds the

English walnut and the Black walnut. The English Walnut originated in Persia, and the Black walnut is native to the United States. The Black walnut is of high flavor, but due to its hard shell and poor hulling characteristics it is not grown commercially for nut production. The commercially produced walnut varieties are nearly all hybrids of the English walnut. Walnuts are one of the several high nutrient density foods. 100 grams of walnuts contain 15.2 gram protein, 65.2 gram fat, and 6.7 gram dietary fiber. The protein in walnuts provides many essential amino acids. Read more: Walnut Family - Economic Importance Wood, Walnuts, Black, and Fruits - JRank Articles http://science.jrank.org/pages/7278/Walnut-FamilyEconomic-importance.html#ixzz2A5IXYEJ7

Read more: Walnut Family - Economic Importance Wood, Walnuts, Black, and Fruits - JRank Articles http://science.jrank.org/pages/7278/Walnut-FamilyEconomic-importance.html#ixzz2A5INAeeD
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/196934-uses-for-a-blackwalnut-tree/#ixzz29W0RKPcW