Can someone please help to identify this large tree? It is approximately 50-60' tall. It is currently starting to drop seeds, which are about 2-3" in diameter, and are grouped in clusters of two. Trunk diameter is approximately 30". What other specific information would be helpful for identification of this tree? Thanks for your help.
Might be an English Walnut - Juglans regia. There are varieties that are supposed to grow in cold climates, but I don't know if they get that large.
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra). Juglans regia (Persian Walnut, not "English" - it doesn't come from England) only has 5-7 leaflets per leaf, not the 15+ leaflets yours has.
I grew up with Black Walnut trees in the backyard, and the nuts are black not tan colored like the one in the photo. Juglans regia is from Persia, but was introduced to the US by an English merchant, hence the name. There are hybrids between the two. Perhaps this one is a hybrid.
Thanks tipularia and Michael. Although there are some similarities with both the Juglans nigra and the Juglans regia, neither seems to fit exactly the details of the tree in question. Any more thoughts?
What details are in question? To rule in or out a hickory Carya sp. you can cut a stem down the middle to see if the pith is chambered (Juglans), or continuous (Carya). There are other species of Juglans in the U.S. I have a technical manual for the ones in Texas, but not for your area. Speciating plants from photos on the Internet is almost laughable, but also a lot of fun!
Hello, I signed up this evening bec I wanted a tree identified and found that earlier, someone had posted 5 pics of the same tree that I wanted identified. I have 2 such trees in my backyard. I was told by my neighbours that it is a walnut tree. Today, I broke all the freshly fallen fruits. After cracking the green outer coat a yellow sap oozed out. Inside was a light brown, v hard nut was covered by some yellow fibers (just like in the pic posted earlier). I wld assume the flesh inside is the regular walnut that we eat (hopefully)??? When I broke the older fruits that were already lying there for a while, the sap was black and there was a black fibrous covering over the hard nut. I collected abt 3 kilos of the hard nuts, washed them and they are spread out to dry. They are smaller than the regular walnuts that we buy frm the supermarket and the also, shape is somewhat different. I am curious to know what kind of walnut it is and is it safe to eat it? By the way, after removing my gloves, I had not realised that a tear had occurred in the glove of my right hand. I now sport a black thumb and and a black index finger. Is the sap poisonous? Will this black colour ever go away? I have read on the internet that there is black walnut? Is it dangerous? What other walnuts are there? I thought I cld dry the nuts I picked and put them in my cakes for Christmas. Can any one advise. Tks.
If they are hard to crack, then they probably are black walnuts and not the "English" walnuts, which are the ones sold in stores. I just don't remember the nuts being that light colored. I know they turn black with time. And, yes, they do stain. I have eaten them, but cracking and digging out the edible part gets old fast.
Tks v much Tipularia,for yr expedited reply. I have not had the chance to break the nuts but I was advised to wait till they dry out and then use a nutcracker or a hammer BUT I am relieved to learn that Black Walnut is not poisonous. To erase the tedium, I will just have to crack the nuts while watching an interesting movie. Tks again.
Black Walnut husks are also a historic source of a very good brown dye (hence the staining of your fingers). Your tree is definitely a Juglans & most likely J. nigra based on the photos provided. The nuts get stained black by the husk, but not until the nuts are nearly ripe (that's why your nuts are still tan...the husks will turn yellow-green when ripe). Juglone is a toxic component of Juglans species but only to other plants. Simon
Tks Simon, Tks for yr info and quick reply. My fingers are still black. I tell people I am preparing for Halloween. I wait for the nuts to fall frm the tree and then I go picking them up. Will make sure I go out with doubled gloves next time. Gee, if I had known that I cld eat these kind of walnuts, I wld have done so 7 yrs ago when I moved to this property. I only learned that I cld eat this type of walnut this weekend,frm my husband's foreman who is Blackfoot and yes, he did say that the Natives used them as dyes. I just needed the verification frm the experts that it was not poisonous to humans. I have dogs and so far nothing has happened to them over the years so I wld assume that it is also not poisonous to dogs. I have read that it is poisonous to horses and frm yr reply, to other plants too. Tks v much for taking the time to reply.
As an aside, you can't draw any conclusions whatsoever about whether a plant is poisonous to a dog, horse or human based on whether it is or isn't poisonous to a different species.
Yes, that is true; an example being chocolate for dogs. Black walnut is thought to be toxic to dogs as well, but likely yours haven't bothered playing with the fruit over the years. http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant45.htm.
