Species › Plants › Black Walnut

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra

CommonPlant
Illustration of Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Black Walnut is a large, stately tree of eastern bottomlands and rich upland slopes, producing the most valuable hardwood lumber of any native North American species. The hulls of its nuts contain juglone, a chemical that inhibits growth of many neighboring plants. Squirrels are the primary dispersers of its large nuts, often burying far more than they retrieve.

Habitat
Rich bottomlands, stream terraces, and mesic upland forests in eastern North America
Diet
Nuts are critical food for squirrels, deer, turkeys, and blue jays
How common
Common

Best time to see a Black Walnut

The best time to see a Black Walnut is July–October, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 30,630 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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