Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) - Part 1

Juglans Nigra is known by the common names Black Walnut or American Walnut. This is one of the later trees to leaf out in the spring. There are several trees along the trails in Fort Yargo State Park, notably along segments 4 and 6. You can tell them by the telltale piles of nut husks that accumulate under the trees.

A bud in late March


Coming to life and starting to leaf out


Young leaves….

Characteristic leaf shape

Newly leafed-out tree; the leaves will darken as they mature.

Fully leafed out

Male catkins starting to develop

Male catkins

Female flowers.
To be continued...

Juglans nigra (Black Walnut) is native to the United States. Its range extends in the eastern United States and Canada from a line north-south of the Kansas-Colorado border and Utah but not into the Canadian maritime provinces.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Juglans nigra

Identification resources:
- Missouri Plants: Juglans nigra
- Native & Naturalized Plants of Georgia and the Carolinas: Juglans nigra

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower