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Juglans major

Juglans major (Torr.) A. Heller

Arizona Walnut, Arizona Black Walnut, River Walnut, Mountain Walnut, Nogal Silvestre

Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)

Synonym(s): Juglans elaeopyren, Juglans microcarpa var. major, Juglans rupestris var. major

USDA Symbol: juma

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

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 (Juglans nigra) and Little Walnut (Juglans microcarpa).

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.

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