Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Medicinal Uses of Black Walnut

Alterative; Anodyne; Antiinflammatory; Astringent; Blood purifier; Blood  tonic; Detergent; Emetic; Laxative; Pectoral; Vermifuge.

Dictionary:

1. Alterative = Tending to restore to normal health
2. Anodyne = Capable of soothing or eliminating pain
3. Antiinflammatory = Preventing or reducing inflammation.
4. Astringent = Tending to draw together or constrict tissues; styptic.
5. Blood purifier = agent that rids blood of impurities; cleanse.
6. Blood  tonic = invigorating, refreshing and restoring blood
7. Detergent = A cleansing substance that acts similarly to soap
8. Emetic = Causing vomiting.
9. Laxative = stimulates evacuation of the bowels
10. Pectoral = Useful in relieving disorders of the chest or respiratory tract.
11. Vermifuge = Anthelmintic = expelling or destroying parasitic worms especially of the intestine

Black walnut is toxic for horses!

The juice from the fruit husk is applied externally as a treatment for ringworm[222, 257]. The husk is chewed in the treatment of colic and applied as a poultice to inflammations[222].

The bark and leaves are alterative, anodyne, astringent, blood tonic, detergent, emetic, laxative, pectoral and vermifuge[4, 222, 257]. Especially useful in the treatment of skin diseases, black walnut is of the highest value in curing scrofulous diseases, herpes, eczema etc[4]. An infusion of the bark is used to treat diarrhoea and also to stop the production of milk, though a strong infusion can be emetic[21, 257]. The bark is chewed to allay the pain of toothache and it is also used as a poultice to reduce the pain of headaches[222, 257].

A tea made from the leaves is astringent[222]. An infusion has been used to lower high blood pressure[257]. It can be used as a cleansing wash[21]. The pulverized leaves have been rubbed on the affected parts of the body to destroy ringworm[257].

The sap has been used to treat inflammations[257].

 

Common name: Black walnut		Family: Juglandaceae
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Europe, Eastern N. America - Massachusets to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota.
Habitat:	Rich fertile woods and hillsides[43, 82] in deep well-drained soils[229].

Other Posible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	J. duclouxiana[G] J. fallax[G] J. kamaonica[G] J. orientis[G] J. regia[B,C,E,G,H,P] J. regia subsp. kamaonica[G] J. regia var. orientis[G] J. regia var. sinensis[G] J. sinensis[G] Wallia nigra[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Black Walnut [B,H,P], Ceviz Agaci [E], Ch'Iang T'Ao [E], Common Walnut [H], English Walnut [P,H,B], Guz [E], Hei T'Ao [E], Hu T'Ao [E], Hu Tao [E], Jawiz [E], Joz [E], Nogal [E], Persian Walnut [H], Qoz [E], Walnut [H], Walnut,Black [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	nigra = black;
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; India; Iraq; Mexico; Nepal; Spain; Turkey; Us

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 30m by 20m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 4 and is frost tender. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen in October. The scented flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 3 out of 5 for usefulness.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked. A sweet, rich distinctive delicious flavour it makes an excellent dessert nut and is also widely used in confections, cakes etc[2, 34, 82, 183]. The kernel is hard to extract and the oil it contains quickly turns rancid[101, 159]. The unripe fruits can be pickled[183]. The seed is borne in solitary fruits or in pairs and is 3 - 4cm in diameter[82, 229]. The nuts can leave a permanent stain on clothing[226].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[101, 183]. A sweet taste but it tends to go rancid quickly[159]. Used as a seasoning in bread, squash and other foods[183].

The tree yields a sweet sap that can be drunk or concentrated into syrup or sugar[101, 102, 183]. It is tapped in spring.

Other Uses

A brown dye is obtained from the nuts, husks and bark[14, 57, 101, 159]. It does not require a mordant[169]. The husks can be dried for later use[169].

A brown dye is obtained from the leaves and stems[168]. It does not require a mordant[168]. The dye turns black if it is prepared in an iron pot[168]. The leaves can be dried for later use[169].

The husks are rich in tannin[226].

The husks can be made into a high quality coal (does the report mean charcoal?[K]) and is then used as a filter[226]. It was used in gas masks[226].

The leaves repel fleas and have been used as a strewing herb[20, 201, 257]. They are also used as an insecticide against bed bugs[222]. The ground up husks are also insecticidal[226].

The leaves produce substances that depress the growth of other plants. These substances are washed onto the ground by rain and inhibit the growth of plants beneath the tree[18, 20, 159]. The roots also produce substances that are toxic to many plant species, especially apples (Malus species), members of the Ericaceae, Potentilla spp and the white pines (certain Pinus spp.)[200].

An alternative ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator[32]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K].

Wood - very ornamental heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, very durable. Easily worked, it glues well, does not warp, shrink or swell much and takes a good polish. It weighs 38lb per cubic foot. A very valuable timber tree and possibly the most sought after wood in N. America, it is used in cabinet making, ship building, veneer etc[1, 46, 61, 82, 101, 149, 227, 229, 235].

Cultivation details

Propagation

Scent

Leaves: Crushed

The bruised leaves have a pleasant sweet though resinous smell.

Cultivars

''

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

PFAF Web Pages

• PFAF: Edible Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Britain
  
• PFAF: Edible Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Britain: H-K
  
• PFAF: Edible Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Britain
  

Web References

• Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
• [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
• [E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
• [B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
• [G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
• [P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the UDSA's plants database.

• [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
• [E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
• [V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
• [B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
• [G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
• [P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the UDSA's plants database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources or the The Gatherer where you can search many other sources all in one go.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[14] Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
A good herbal.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[32] Bruce. M. E. Commonsense Compost Making. Faber 1977 ISBN 0-571-09990-4
Excellent little booklet dealing with how to make compost by using herbs to activate the heap. Gives full details of the herbs that are used.

[34] Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975
Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs.
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.

[101] Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978
A very readable guide to some wild foods of Canada.

[102] Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979 ISBN 0-394-72811-4
Another guide to the wild foods of America.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.

[159] McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
A nice pocket guide to this region of America.

[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.

[169] Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.

[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Black Walnut Toxicity to Plants, Humans and Horses

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html

HYG-1148-93

The roots of Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.) produce a substance known as juglone (5-hydroxy-alphanapthaquinone). Persian (English or Carpathian) walnut trees are sometimes grafted onto black walnut rootstocks. Many plants such as tomato, potato, blackberry, blueberry, azalea, mountain laurel, rhododendron, red pine and apple may be injured or killed within one to two months of growth within the root zone of these trees. The toxic zone from a mature tree occurs on average in a 50 to 60 foot radius from the trunk, but can be up to 80 feet. The area affected extends outward each year as a tree enlarges. Young trees two to eight feet high can have a root diameter twice the height of the top of the tree, with susceptible plants dead within the root zone and dying at the margins.

Not all plants are sensitive to juglone. Many trees, vines, shrubs, groundcovers, annuals and perennials will grow in close proximity to a walnut tree. Certain cultivars of "resistant" species are reported to do poorly. Black walnut has been recommended for pastures on hillsides in the Ohio Valley and Appalachian mountain regions. Trees hold the soil, prevent erosion and provide shade for cattle. The beneficial effect of black walnut on pastures in encouraging the growth of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and other grasses appears to be valid as long as there is sufficient sunlight and water.

Gardeners should carefully consider the planting site for black walnut, butternut, or persian walnut seedlings grafted to black walnut rootstock, if other garden or landscape plants are to be grown within the root zone of mature trees. Persian walnut seedlings or trees grafted onto Persian walnut rootstocks do not appear to have a toxic effect on other plants.

Horses may be affected by black walnut chips or sawdust when they are used for bedding material. Close association with walnut trees while pollen is being shed (typically in May) also produce allergic symptoms in both horses and humans. The juglone toxin occurs in the leaves, bark and wood of walnut, but these contain lower concentrations than in the roots. Juglone is poorly soluble in water and does not move very far in the soil.

Walnut leaves can be composted because the toxin breaks down when exposed to air, water and bacteria. The toxic effect can be degraded in two to four weeks. In soil, breakdown may take up to two months. Black walnut leaves may be composted separately, and the finished compost tested for toxicity by planting tomato seedlings in it. Sawdust mulch, fresh sawdust or chips from street tree prunings from black walnut are not suggested for plants sensitive to juglone, such as blueberry or other plants that are sensitive to juglone. However, composting of bark for a minimum of six months provides a safe mulch even for plants sensitive to juglone.

Plants Observed Growing Under or Near Black Walnut*

Trees

• Japanese Maples, Acer palmatum and its cultivars
• Southern Catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides
• Eastern Redbud, Cercis canadensis
• Canadian Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis

Vines and Shrubs

• Clematis 'Red Cardinal'
• February Daphne, Daphne mezereum
• Euonymus species
• Weeping Forsythia, Forsythia suspensa
• Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus
• Tartarian Honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica, and most other Lonicera species
• Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia
• ** Pinxterbloom, Rhododendron periclymenoides
• **'Gibraltar' and 'Balzac', Rhododendron Exbury hybrids
• Multiflora Rose, Rosa multiflora
• Black Raspberry, Rubus occidentalis
• Arborvitaes, Thuja species
• ** Koreanspice Viburnum, Viburnum carlesii, and most other Viburnum species

Annuals

• Pot-marigold, Calendula officinalis 'Nonstop'
• Begonia, fibrous cultivars
• Morning Glory, Ipomoea 'Heavenly Blue'
• Pansy Viola
• Zinnia species

Vegetables

• Squashes, Melons, Beans, Carrots, Corn

Fruit Trees

• Peach, Nectarine, Cherry, Plum
• Prunus species Pear-Pyrus species

Herbaceous Perennials

• Bugleweed, Ajuga reptans
• Hollyhock, Alcea rosea
• American Wood Anemone, Anemone quinquefolia
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum
• European Wild Ginger, Asarum europaeum
• Astilbe species
• Bellflower, Campanula latifolia
• **Chrysanthemum species (some)
• Glory-of-the-Snow, Chionodoxa luciliae
• Spring Beauty, Claytonia virginica
• Crocus species
• Dutchman's Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria
• Leopard's-Bane, Doronicum species
• Crested Wood Fern, Dryopteris cristata
• Spanish Bluebell, Endymion hispanicus
• Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis
• Snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis
• Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum
• Herb Robert, Geranium robertianum
• Cranesbill, Geranium sanguineum
• Grasses (most) Gramineae family
• Jerusalem Artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus
• Common Daylily, Hemerocallis 'Pluie de Feu'
• Coral Bells, Heuchera x brizoides
• Orange Hawkweed, Hieracium aurantiacum
• Plantain-lily, Hosta fortunei 'Glauca'
• Hosta lancifolia
• Hosta marginata
• Hosta undulata 'Variegata'
• Common Hyacinth, Hyacinthus Orientalis 'City of Haarlem'
• Virginia Waterleaf, Hydrophyllum virginianum
• Siberian Iris, Iris sibirica
• Balm, Monarda didyma
• Wild Bergamot, M. fistulosa
• Grape Hyacinth, Muscari botryoides
• Sweet Cicely, Myrrhis odorata 'Yellow Cheerfulness,' 'Geranium,' 'Tete a Tete,' 'Sundial,' and 'February Gold'
• Sundrops, Oenothera fruticosa
• Senstitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis
• Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea
• Peony, **Paeonia species (some)
• Summer Phlox, Phlox paniculata
• Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum
• Jacob's-Ladder, Polemonium reptans
• Great Solomon's-Seal, Polygonatum commutatum
• Polyanthus Primrose, Primula x polyantha
• Lungwort, Pulmonaria species
• Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis
• Siberian Squill, Scilla sibirica
• Goldmoss Stonecrop, Sedum acre
• Showy Sedum, Sedum spectabile
• Lamb's-Ear, Stachys byzantina
• Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana
• Nodding Trillium, Trillium cernuum
• White Wake-Robin, Trillium grandiflorum
• Tulipa Darwin 'White Valcano' and 'Cum Laude,' Parrot 'Blue Parrot,' Greigii 'Toronto'
• Big Merrybells, Uvularia grandiflora
• Canada Violet, Viola canadensis
• Horned Violet, Viola cornuta
• Woolly Blue Violet, Viola sororia

*These are based upon observations and not from clinical tests.
**Cultivars of some species may do poorly.

Plants That Do Not Grow Within 50 Feet of Drip Line of Black Walnut

Herbaceous Perennials

• Colorado Columbine, Aquilegia caerulea
• Wild Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
• Asparagus, Asparagus offinalis
• *Chrysanthemum Chrysanthumum species (some)
• Baptisia australis
• Hydrangea species
• Lilies, Lilium species (particularly the Asian hybrids)
• Alfalfa, Medicago sativa
• Buttercup, Narcissus 'John Evelyn,' 'Unsurpassable' 'King Alfred' and 'Ice Follies'
• Peonies, *Paeonia species (some)
• Rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum

Trees

• Silver Maple, Acer saccharinum
• European Alder, Alnus glutinosa
• White Birches, Betula species
• Northern Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis
• Apples and Crabapples, Malus species
• Norway Spruce, Picea abies
• Mugo Pine, Pinus mugo
• Red Pine, Pinus resinosa
• Eastern White Pine, Pinus strobus
• Basswood, Tilia heterophylla

Shrubs

• Red Chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia
• Hydrangea species
• Mountain Laurels, Kalmia species
• Privet, Ligustrum species
• Amur Honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii
• Brush Cinquefoil, Potentilla species
• Rhododendrons and Azaleas, **Rhododendron species (most)
• Blackberry, Rubus allegheniensis
• Lilacs, Syringa species and cultivars
• Yew, Taxus species
• Blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum
• *Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Mariesii'

Annuals and Vegetables Transplants

• Cabbage, Brassica oleracea capitata
• Peppers, Capsicum species (some)
• Tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum
• Flowering Tobacco, Nicotiana alata
• Petunia species and cultivars
• Eggplant, Solanum melongena
• Potato, Solanum tuberosum
• double-flowered cole vegetables

*Cultivars of some species may survive but will do poorly.

The authors express their appreciation to Drs. M. Scott Biggs, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, and Harry Hoitink, Department of Plant Pathology, for their review and additional comments.

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