Black Walnut
Juglans nigra · Juglandaceae (Walnut family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Compound (pinnately compound, though the image shows a single detached leaflet), deciduous
Shape
Elliptical to ovate-lanceolate
Margin
Serrate (finely toothed)
Arrangement
Alternate on the branch
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent central midrib and clearly visible secondary veins branching outward.
Key Features
Pinnately compound leaves with finely toothed margins, terminal leaflet often missing, chocolate-brown chambered pith in the twigs, and large rounded nuts with a smooth, undivided green husk.
Description
The Black Walnut is a large, stately deciduous tree known for its dark, deeply furrowed bark, large compound leaves, and highly valued hardwood. In autumn, its foliage turns a rich golden-yellow before dropping to reveal large rounded green nuts enclosed in a husked shell.
Habitat
Found in rich, deep, moist soils of bottomlands and lower slopes in deciduous forests, as well as disturbed open fields and forest edges.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, stretching from southern Ontario through the eastern United States down to Texas and Georgia; widely planted elsewhere.