Native Plant Database

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Juglans major (Arizona walnut)
Waitt, Damon E. (Austin, TX)

Juglans major (Torr.) Heller

Arizona walnut

Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)

USDA Symbol: JUMA

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Arizona walnut is a round-crowned deciduous tree to 48 ft. in height. With furrowed bark on the trunk, gray twigs, and reddish brown new growth covered with hairs visible under a 10x hand lens. Leaves up to foot long with 4 to 8 pairs of leaflets along a central axis and a single leaflet at the tip the margins finely toothed and the midrib of the lateral leaflet off-center, the wider part of the blade toward the leaf tip. Flowers inconspicuous, in elongate green clusters. Fruit spherical, 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, intermediate in size between Black Walnut and Little Walnut.

The small walnuts, known in Spanish as nogales, are gathered locally. The wood, like that of Black Walnut, is used for furniture and gunstocks, but the supply is limited. The valuable enlarged burls and bases of the trunks make beautifully patterned tabletops and veneer.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Class: 36-72 ft.
Size Notes: 36-48 feet tall.
Leaf Color: Yellow-Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Brown
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , NM , OK , TX , UT
Native Distribution: C. TX to c. AZ & mts. of Mex.
Native Habitat: Dry stream banks; canyons; 3500 to 7000 ft.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Dry, rocky soils.
Conditions Comments: Arizona walnut is a round-crowned deciduous tree. It often has a forked trunk and rounded crown of widely spreading branches, distinct walnut odor. Bark is dark and deeply furrowed and ridged. Branched are wide-spreading. Leaves are pinnate. The thick-shelled, edible nut is about 1 in. in diameter.
Texas comments: Arizona walnut often has a forked trunk, rounded crown of widely spreading branches and distinct walnut odor. The bark is dark and deeply furrowed and ridged. It also produces a thick-shelled, edible nut.

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Plant nuts in fall or spring. If nuts are sown in spring, they must be stratified.
Seed Collection: Collect nuts in fall or winter when husks begin to turn black and split open. Remove husks. It is not necessary to remove shell. Sow immediately or keep in moist sand over winter. Nuts lose viability if allowed to dry out.
Seed Treatment: Stratify for 60-120 days at 34-41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes
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From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-10-12
Research By: TWC Staff

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