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THE GARDEN SAGEA library of living things
Trees & woodland lore · Western North Carolina field companion

Black walnut

Juglans nigra

Juglans nigra. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.
Juglans nigra. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeKatja Schulz ↗ · CC BY 4.0
Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; no diagnostic content altered.

Valuable large native, but nuts, juglone sensitivity, and canopy size constrain landscape placement.

Sun Exposure
Full sun–part shade
MATURE HEIGHT (FT)
50–75
MATURE WIDTH (FT)
50–75
BLOOM SEASON
Spring
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Get to know this plant.

Identification clue 1

Many toothed leaflets

Identification clue 2

Terminal leaflet often tiny or absent

Identification clue 3

Round nuts within green husks

Read the leaves

A large pinnate leaf carries many toothed leaflets. Inspect the tip: the terminal leaflet is often reduced or missing.

More growing details

Read the bark

Dark mature bark forms deep furrows and interlacing ridges.

Fruit & seed

Round green husks enclose hard, deeply ridged nuts; handling husks can stain.

Winter character

Large leaf scars and chambered twig pith are useful; inspect an already-broken twig rather than injuring a tree.

Origin & place

The species occurs naturally in the southern Appalachian region; a planted specimen is not evidence of wild local origin.

Compare with Hickories

Hickories typically have fewer, larger leaflets and solid rather than chambered pith.

WNC Notes

Valuable large native, but nuts, juglone sensitivity, and canopy size constrain landscape placement.

Sun Exposure

Full sun–part shade

MATURE HEIGHT (FT)

50–75

MATURE WIDTH (FT)

50–75

BLOOM SEASON

Spring

BLOOM COLOR

Catkins

FALL / WINTER COLOR

Yellow

Wet-Soil Tolerance

Moderate

Drought Tolerance

Low

LOOK CLOSELY

Two views, a closer look.

Place two photographs beside one another. Compare the overall plant with leaves, flowers, or bark when those views are available. Captions identify what each photograph actually shows. Images are not at the same scale; species references may show different cultivars.

Juglans nigra. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.
Juglans nigra. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeKatja Schulz ↗ · CC BY 4.0
Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; no diagnostic content altered.
Green outer husk of a black walnut fruit — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.
Green outer husk of a black walnut fruit — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeCathy Dewitt ↗ · CC BY 4.0
Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.

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