# Black Walnut (*Juglans nigra*) The Black Walnut tree has dark bark and produces tasty nuts! It’s a fun tree to explore in the fall. - **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Woodlands and fields - **Also known as:** American Walnut, Eastern Black Walnut ![Black Walnut](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426444/objects/4802.jpg) ## Appearance The Black Walnut is a tall tree with distinctively dark, deeply furrowed bark that appears almost black and crisscrossed. It has large, compound leaves and produces round, green fruits that resemble limes, each containing a hard-shelled nut. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fagales - **Family:** Juglandaceae - **Genus:** Juglans ## Interesting facts - Its valuable wood is used for fancy furniture, gunstocks, and even airplane propellers! - Native Americans used parts of the tree for food, medicine, and making strong baskets! - Squirrels act as natural planters, burying nuts that grow into new Black Walnut trees! - The green outer hull can be used to make a natural brown dye for cloth and hair! ## Special abilities - **Root Defender:** Black Walnut has a special chemical called juglone in its roots that helps it keep other plants from growing too close, claiming its space. - **Nut Fortress:** Black Walnut has super-tough, wrinkled nut shells that protect the delicious kernels inside from hungry animals, making them work for their meal. - **Deep Drinker:** Black Walnut can grow a very long taproot that helps it reach deep underground water sources during dry times, helping it survive. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-30 m - **Spread:** 15-25 m - **Edible:** Yes - **Size:** 60-100 cm - **Lifespan:** 100-250 years - **Fruit Type:** Drupe - **Growth Rate:** Medium - **Leaf Type:** Deciduous ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — buries and eats its nuts - **Eats:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — harvests nuts and timber - **Parasitizes:** Walnut Curculio (*Conotrachelus juglandis*) — damages developing nuts - **Eats:** Fall Webworm (*Hyphantria cunea*) — chews on its leaves ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Nut Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nut-bearing): Nut bearing plants produce hard-shelled fruits, commonly known as nuts, which contain a single seed and are a valuable food source. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Walnut? Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Black Walnut? 20-30 m ### How wide does Black Walnut spread? 15-25 m ### Is Black Walnut edible? Yes ### How big is Black Walnut? 60-100 cm ### How long does Black Walnut live? 100-250 years ### Where is Black Walnut usually found? Woodlands and fields ### What kind of fruit does Black Walnut produce? Drupe ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Derryfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/derryfield-park) — New Hampshire, US · Park - [Folly Lick Stream Valley Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/folly-lick-stream-valley-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Kent Gardens Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kent-gardens-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Mt. Cuba Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mt-cuba-center) — Delaware, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Black Walnut](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-walnut) ## More Trees - [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) - [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*) - [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) - [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) --- Source: [Black Walnut: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-walnut)