Heirloom

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra

America's native nut tree that produces intensely flavored nuts prized by gourmet cooks and wildlife alike. Black walnut combines valuable timber potential with unique culinary nuts that have a bold, distinctive taste unlike any other nut. This impressive native tree creates its own ecosystem space through natural allelopathy while providing generations of harvestable nuts and potential lumber value.

Harvest

180-210d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun

☀️

Zones

4–9

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

50-75 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Transplant

Harvest

Transplant

Harvest

Showing dates for Black Walnut in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 nut-tree →

Zone Map

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Black Walnut · Zones 4–9

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing50-70 feet

SoilDeep, fertile, well-drained soil, tolerates various soil types

pH6.0-8.0

WaterHigh — consistent moisture needed

SeasonSpring

FlavorIntense, bold, earthy flavor much stronger than English walnuts

ColorVery dark brown to black thick shells with light brown nutmeats

SizeMedium, 1.5-2 inches round

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 4	—	June – July	—	September – September
Zone 5	—	May – July	—	September – October
Zone 6	—	May – July	—	August – October
Zone 7	—	May – June	—	August – October
Zone 8	—	April – June	—	July – November
Zone 9	—	March – May	—	June – December

Complete Growing Guide

Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally Dry, Occasionally Wet, Very Dry. Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Brown to black nut inside a fleshy, non-splitting, yellow-green husk that heavily stains skin and clothing. Displays in October. Nut inside is edible. Fruit attached singly or in pairs, globular, with pointed apex.

Color: Black, Brown/Copper, Gold/Yellow, Green. Type: Nut. Length: 1-3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.

Garden value: Edible, Fragrant

Harvest time: Fall

Bloom time: Spring

Edibility: Nut is sweet and edible. An edible oil is obtained from the seed, but it tends to go rancid quickly. Used as a seasoning in bread, squash and other foods.

History & Origin

Origin: Eastern United States, west to Texas, and South Eastern Canada

Advantages

+Disease resistance: Drought, Rabbits
+Attracts: Moths, Small Mammals
+Wildlife value: 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 for Banded Hairstreak butterflies and Luna moth. Meat of the nut is sweet and edible and a favorite food for squirrels.
+Edible: Nut is sweet and edible. An edible oil is obtained from the seed, but it tends to go rancid quickly. Used as a seasoning in bread, squash and other foods.
+Fast-growing