Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Search native plant database:
Name:    
Family:    

Juglans cinerea L.

Butternut, White walnut

Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)

USDA Symbol: JUCI

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

White walnut or butternut reaches 40-60 ft. in height with a spread of 30-50 ft. It can grow to 100 ft. The tree is usually short-trunked with stiff branches forming a wide-spreading crown. Tree with short straight trunk, stout branches, broad open crown, and butternut fruit with sticky husk. Long-stemmed, pinnately-compound leaves turn yellow in fall. Fruit is tan in color and football-shaped.

The edible butternuts soon become rancid, and so must be harvested quickly after maturing. Indians made them into oil for many uses, including ceremonial anointing of the head. They are also eaten by wildlife. The husks of the nuts, which contain a brown stain that colors the fingers, yield a yellow or orange dye. The lumber serves as a cabinet wood.

 

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Size Class: 72-100 ft.
Leaf Color: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit Color: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IL , IN , IA , KY , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MS , MO , NH , NJ , NY , NC , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VT , VA , WV , WI , DC
Canada: MB , NB , NS , ON , PE , QC
Native Distribution: GA to AR, n.e. to s.w. N.B. & in river valleys to c. MN
Native Habitat: Mesic woods; river banks
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Soil Description: Rich, moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Butternut is fairly fast-growing if in its favored moist, rich, sunny habitat. It rarely survives longer than 75 years. The name butternut comes from the mellow flavor of the nut meat. Susceptible to butternut blight, a fungus which forms cankers that are later invaded by another fungus. These organisms eventually kill the tree.

Benefit

Use Medicinal: The outer bark was once used in medicinal teas for treating toothaches and dysentery, and dried inner bark was taken to purge the system. (Kershaw)
Fragrant Foliage: yes

Propagation

Description: Plant nuts in fall or spring. If nuts are sown in spring, they must be stratified.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Stratify for 60-120 days at 34-41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes
Please support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: We are planning a forest food garden in the hollers of the N GA Mountains. Which edible fruit, nut, berry, herb and creepers would be best for this reddish, clay-like soil? The food garden is in a meadow sloping down to a big flat area from a pine/maple/oak forest backing. Is there a database search for edible plants by state? If so, sorry, please point us to it. - Feed the Future Food Forest Gardens across the planet
click here to view the full question and answer

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Juglans cinerea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Juglans cinerea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Juglans cinerea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back