Image - Wikimedia / RA Nonenmacher
The black walnut is an imposing tree, which gives very good shade and also produces edible fruits during the late summer / early fall. Its ornamental value is very high, since although its leaves are deciduous, before falling they turn a beautiful yellow color.
If you live in an area with a temperate climate and you have a space in your garden for a large tree, next I will tell you how to take care of black walnut.
Origin and characteristics
Image - Wikimedia / JoJan
It is a deciduous tree native to North America whose scientific name is juglans nigra, popularly known as black walnut. It reaches a height of 45 meters, with a straight trunk and an open crown up to 10 meters in diameter.. The leaves are formed by between 15 to 23 leaflets with an oval-lanceolate shape, the margin serrated and yellowish-green in color.
It's monoecious (there are female feet and male feet). The female flowers are grouped in clusters of two to five; male catkins are 8 to 10cm long. The fruit is a drupe that contains a walnut inside.
Uses
- Ornamental: it is a very beautiful plant, whether grown as an isolated specimen or in groups.
- Meals: Its fruits are edible and are used in cakes, empanadas, ice cream, and other confectionery products. You can learn more about Why walnuts turn black.
- Hair dyeThe liquid (colorant) extracted from walnuts was used by Native Americans to dye their hair, and can still be used for that purpose today. The resulting color is yellowish-brown.
- Wood: Being heavy and strong, it is used to make furniture, tool handles, etc.
What are their cares?
If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:
- Location: it must be outside, in full sun.
- Earth:
- Garden: grows in soils rich in organic matter, with good drainage.
- Pot: due to its characteristics, it is not a plant that can be had in a pot. Only during its first years of youth could it be cultivated in it with a universal culture substrate mixed with 30% perlite.
- Irrigation: 4-5 times per week in summer, slightly less the rest of the year. It is not drought-tolerant. Adequate watering is essential for the tree to develop properly, especially during its initial growth, which is vital to understanding the Care of the decorative fruit black walnut tree.
- Subscriber: in spring and summer with a monthly contribution of ecological fertilizers. You can also learn more about the walnut cultivation to make sure you're doing the right thing.
- Pruning: at the end of winter remove dry, diseased, weak or broken branches.
- Rusticity: It withstands cold and frost down to -17°C, but it cannot grow in tropical climates. This makes it ideal for regions with cold winters.
What did you think of the black walnut?