Juglans regia: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Grown commercially for the nuts. Wood is used for furnature, cabinets, etc.
Plant Profile: Juglans regia
Taxonomy: Juglans regiaNames
Common Walnut, English Walnut, Persian Walnut
Phonetic Spelling:
Genus:Juglans
Species:regia
Family:Juglandaceae
The English Walnut is a deciduous tree indigenous to Europe and Asia, renowned for its delicious nuts. Typically, it reaches heights and widths of 40 to 60 feet, featuring a broad, rounded crown. This tree usually begins to yield a substantial harvest of nuts after approximately 15 to 20 years.
For optimal growth, it thrives in well-drained, humus-rich soils and requires full sunlight, making it suitable as both a shade tree and a source of fruit. However, it poses challenges for transplantation due to its deep taproot. Additionally, it struggles in hot, humid climates, where the pecan tree may be a more suitable alternative.
Tags
#deciduous
#shade tree
#full sun tolerant
#wildlife plant
#moths
#fragrant leaves
#tree
#nuts
#nighttime garden
#edible fruits
#fall fruits
#larval host plant
#deciduous tree
#food source hard mast fruit
#mammals
#moth larvae
#pollinator garden
#hickory horndevil moth
Similar Plants
Juglans regia Feature Summary
Attributes
Grown commercially for the nuts. Wood is used for furnature, cabinets, etc.
Asia and Europe
Fruit is eaten by small mammals. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed. Also a larval host plant to the Luna moth.
Nuts are edible.
Woody
Fruit
The fruit is a green, semi-fleshy husk with a brown, corrugated nut.
Nut
Green
Edible
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Flowers
Male flowers are catkins and female flowers in terminal clusters of 2-5.
Gold/Yellow
Green
Insignificant
Catkin
Spring
Leaves
Compound green leaves with 5-9 leaflets and 1 terminal leaflet. The largest leaflets are 4-7 inches long. Poor to fair yellow fall color.
Deciduous
Gold/Yellow
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Alternate
Oblong
Entire
3-6 inches
Fragrant
1-3 inches
Bark
The bark is smooth, olive-brown when young. Ages to gray with broad fissures with a rough texture.
Light Gray
Green
Fissured
Diamond
Stem
Stout, light brown, with a buff-colored chambered pith, terminal buds are large, broadly pointed, often paired and pubescent, lateral buds are much smaller,
Brown/Copper
Smooth (glabrous)
Hairy
Cluster of terminal buds
Chambered
Whole Plant Traits
Edible
Tree
Deciduous
Rounded
Spreading
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
more than 60 feet
24-60 feet
Mountains
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
3a
3b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Edible Garden
Pollinator Garden
Nighttime Garden
Shade Tree
Pollinators
Moths
Small Mammals
Juglans regia Image Gallery
Juglans regia Attributes
Juglans regia: Country Or Region Of Origin
Asia and Europe
Juglans regia: Wildlife Value
Fruit is eaten by small mammals. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed. Also a larval host plant to the Luna moth.
Juglans regia: Edibility
Nuts are edible.
Juglans regia: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Juglans regia Fruit
Juglans regia: Fruit Description
The fruit is a green, semi-fleshy husk with a brown, corrugated nut.
Juglans regia: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Juglans regia: Fruit Color
Green
Juglans regia: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Juglans regia: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Juglans regia: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Juglans regia: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Juglans regia Flowers
Juglans regia: Flower Description
Male flowers are catkins and female flowers in terminal clusters of 2-5.
Juglans regia: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Juglans regia: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Juglans regia: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Juglans regia Leaves
Juglans regia: Leaf Description
Compound green leaves with 5-9 leaflets and 1 terminal leaflet. The largest leaflets are 4-7 inches long. Poor to fair yellow fall color.
Juglans regia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Juglans regia: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Juglans regia: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Juglans regia: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Juglans regia: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Juglans regia: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Juglans regia: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Juglans regia: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Juglans regia: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Juglans regia: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Juglans regia Bark
Juglans regia: Bark Description
The bark is smooth, olive-brown when young. Ages to gray with broad fissures with a rough texture.
Juglans regia: Bark Color
Green
Light Gray
Juglans regia: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Juglans regia: Bark Plate Shape
Diamond
Irregular
Oval
Rectangle
Round
Square
Juglans regia Stem
Juglans regia: Stem Description
Stout, light brown, with a buff-colored chambered pith, terminal buds are large, broadly pointed, often paired and pubescent, lateral buds are much smaller,
Juglans regia: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Juglans regia: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Juglans regia: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Juglans regia: Stem Buds
Hairy
Hairy tips
Scaly
Smooth/Hairless
Juglans regia: Stem Bud Terminal
Cluster of terminal buds
Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
Only 1 terminal bud, smaller than side buds
Juglans regia: Pith (Split Longitudinally)
Chambered
Coninuous diphragmed
Continuous homogeneous
Spongy
Juglans regia Whole Plant Traits
Juglans regia: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Juglans regia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Juglans regia: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Juglans regia: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Juglans regia: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Juglans regia Cultural Conditions
Juglans regia: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Juglans regia: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Juglans regia: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Juglans regia: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Juglans regia: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Juglans regia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
Juglans regia: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Juglans regia Landscape
Juglans regia: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Juglans regia: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Juglans regia: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Juglans regia: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
