Black Walnut (Eastern Black Walnut)
Juglans nigra · Juglandaceae (Walnut family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Pinnately compound, deciduous
Shape
Lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets with an acuminate tip, typically 11 to 23 leaflets per leaf
Margin
Serrate (finely toothed)
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent central midrib and clearly visible secondary veins running to the margins
Key Features
Pinnately compound leaves usually lacking a terminal leaflet, finely serrate leaflet margins, chocolate-brown chambered pith in the twigs, and large spherical husked nuts
Description
Juglans nigra is a large, majestic deciduous tree known for its dark, furrowed bark, large compound leaves, and valuable dark timber. It produces large round nuts encased in a fleshy green husk that turns black as it matures in autumn.
Habitat
Deep, rich, moist soils in mixed deciduous forests, floodplains, and open fields, thriving in full sun
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, extending from southern Ontario down to Florida and west to Texas and the Great Plains; widely planted elsewhere