Nuts, Timber, and Shade from One Tree
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is known for its deep brown to almost black bark and its strong, fast growth. As it matures, it forms a round crown about as wide as the tree is tall, reaching 50 to 75 feet each way, and it can live 100 years or more. If you're considering black walnut for landscaping a large property, it gives good shade on its own or planted in groups.
Landowners look for a black walnut tree for sale for three reasons: nuts, valuable hardwood, and shade. This plant ships bare root. Order a black walnut tree online from TN Nursery, and you'll get a young tree, from 1 to 2 feet up to 4 to 5 feet tall depending on the size you pick, with a long taproot (one thick main root that grows straight down) and no soil. Our nut-tree planting guide shows how to dig a hole deep enough for that root.
Most of the first year's growth goes into that root, so the top may barely change. After that, young trees often add about 2 feet a year, and nuts usually start in 10 to 15 years. It is slower to bear than many nut-producing trees, but it keeps producing for decades.
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Botanical name: Juglans nigra, deciduous nut and timber tree
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Width at maturity: 50 to 75 feet, with a round crown
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Growth rate: about 2 feet a year when young
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Nuts: first crops in 10 to 15 years; drop in September and October
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Things to know: plant two or more for the best nut crops
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Best uses: nuts, timber, shade for large properties
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What ships: 1 to 5 feet tall, bare root
Looking at a Black Walnut Tree for Sale? Great Plants to Grow Beneath It
Black walnut pairs beautifully with plants that enjoy its light, dappled shade. Trilliums, hostas, cinnamon ferns, Virginia bluebells, and bellflowers all grow well beneath it, turning the ground under the tree into a natural woodland bed. Rake the fallen leaves and hulls around the tree as mulch.
Harvesting the Nuts
The tree drops large green husks holding the walnuts in September and October, around the time its leaves fall. Wear gloves when you remove the husks, because they stain hands and concrete dark brown. The nuts have a tangy, bold flavor that is stronger than English walnuts, with more protein, and they stand out in chocolate desserts.
A single tree can set some nuts, but two or more planted within about 100 feet of each other give much better harvests. Squirrels, foxes, and woodpeckers come for the nuts too.
More Uses on the Homestead
On a homestead, it earns its place in other ways too. Cooks prize the oil pressed from the nuts, the hulls make a rich brown dye for cloth and wool, and older trees can be tapped for a sweet sap, much like maple.
Planting and How Many to Buy
Give it full sun and plenty of open space, at least 30 feet from the house, driveways, and patios, so it has room to grow into its full, round crown. Plant while the tree is dormant (leafless and resting), in late fall or early spring.
For nuts and shade, plant at least two, 40 to 50 feet apart; the Buy 1 Get 1 Free offer covers that pair. If you want to buy black walnut tree stock for timber or a woodlot, plant rows about 10 to 12 feet apart and thin them as they grow, so 5 or 25 trees make more sense.
Planting & Growing Information
Ships: Ships Between November 15-29
Planting Zone: 4-9
Height at Maturity: 50-75 Feet
Water Needs: Low
Sun or Shade: Full sun and Partial shade
Bloom Season: April through May
Care: Water Black Walnut trees deeply and infrequently to encourage deep root growth. Mulch around the base to hold moisture and keep the soil temperature even. Prune during dormancy.
Exposure: Full sun
Plant Attributes: Unparalleled beauty & abundant harvest, Environmental benefits & low maintenance