The English walnut (Juglans regia) is a non-native deciduous tree that has been grown in the UK since Roman times. Although most trees are planted, self-sown trees do sometimes appear in warmer areas. Originating from southern Europe and parts of Asia, English walnut can now be found growing across the UK.
Walnut timber is hard and strong. It has varied grain patterns with swirls and knots, and is an expensive timber to buy. Walnut wood is used for furniture, interior joinery and wood turning. Walnut leaves and husks produce warm brown dyes and the walnut has a long history of use in traditional medicine. The name Juglans is believed to refer to ‘Jupiter’s nut’ and regia means ‘kingly’. Both are thought to come from links in Roman myth between Jupiter, king of the Gods, and the walnut tree. Walnut is toxic to dogs and horses.
Identifying walnut treesWalnut trees are large, with wide-spreading crowns and thick trunks. Young trees have smooth, olive-brown bark which matures to silvery-grey and develops fissures. Walnut trees are monoecious (with male and female flowers on the same tree). Male flowers are on pendulous catkins, 5-15cm long. The wind-pollinated female flowers grow in small, upright clusters. Walnut leaves are pinnate with leaflets arranged in pairs on either side of the stem. There are usually between five and nine oval, smooth-edged leaflets.
English walnut could be confused with black walnut (Juglans nigra) which is also planted in the UK as an ornamental tree. Black walnut can grow larger – up to 40m, and it has darker, more heavily ridged bark. Leaves have more leaflets than English walnut. They are toothed, unlike English walnut leaflets, and taper to a point rather than being rounded.
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