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Black Walnut Identification

(for more detailed information on identification of walnuts and related trees, please visit the following link:Identifying Hickory and Walnut Trees Native to Tennessee Using BRFs
(Brief Recognizable Features
)

 

Black walnut isnative to much of the eastern U.S., where it is found in many rural and urban areas. It is an important economic forest (valued for wood – lumber and veneers) and food resource (valued for nutmeat). Standing black walnut is valued at $569 billion.

Black walnut can be identified by careful examination of leaves, twigs and buds, bark, and/or nuts. If you encounter difficulty in identifying your tree, please contact your county agent or area state forester for assistance. You can always send us a digital image and we'll try to assist you. Identification characteristics of black walnut include:

Leaves: count the leaflets; black walnut has 13-20 leaflets, with toothed edges on the leaflets Black walnut leaf
Twigs and Buds: examine closely – bud scars will resemble a smiling monkey face; use a knife to split the twig – black walnut twigs have a dark, chambered pith Black walnut bud Black walnut stem
Bark: examine the bark – it will have a rough surface; gently scrape the bark with a knife – the remaining surface will be brown Black walnut bark
Nuts and Nutmeat: round nuts, generally in clusters of 3 or more, are located at the end of the branches; immature nuts are surrounded by green husks; upon maturing, nuts fall to the ground; removal of the husks will yield a mature nut, which is round, brownish black, and heavily ridged; these mature nuts contain the nutmeat, which is a valuable food source for humans and animals Black walnut nut Black walnut mature nut Black walnut nutmeat

Thousand Cankers Disease Links

Thousands Cankers Disease

 

TN Dept. of Agriculture - TCD

 

Colorado State University - TCD

 

Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture - TCD


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