Walnut Tree (Juglans Regia). Walnut Tree – General Data
The walnut is a huge, deciduous tree which can increase up to a a hundred feet tall and with a spread of up to 40 feet. Native to Central Asia and South East Europe it is broadly planted in the United Kingdom and is quite common in parks and massive gardens.
Walnuts are a very hardy, fast increasing, long-lived tree, with some reaching 200 many years of age and are best identified for their delicious nuts and the gorgeous timber they make, which is utilized by the two carpenters and sculptors.
Description of a Walnut Tree
When the tree is young the bark is smooth and a greenish brown in colour, at some point turning out to be covered with diamond-like fissures and turning grey as the tree ages. These trees also have a broad crown, though, if grown in a woodland, then the crown will be that significantly narrower due to lack of space. The trunk is typically short.
The leaves are extended, green, shiny and feathery and then start to flip yellow in the autumn and drop.
Walnuts flower in the spring and have both male and female flowers on the very same tree. The male flowers, which seem as drooping catkins, are a yellowish green in colour while the female flowers are shorter and spiky in physical appearance. The flowers are pollinated by the wind.
The fruit develops after the female flowers have been pollinated and is encased by a grooved and furrowed hard brown shell.
Cultivation of a Walnut Tree
Walnut trees, though able to tolerate most types of soil, choose a soil that is moisture retaining, fertile and not as well sandy or clay-like and demands full sun.
If you are arranging on planting a walnut tree, then a single significantly less than 10ft tall will be the best to set up but make confident the specimen you obtain has not grow to be pot bound.
Stay away from planting on any exposed sites or locations with frost pockets as a spring frost or substantial winds might result in injury to flowers and foliage and an autumn or winter planting is greatest as this will support the tree establish itself.
Staking will be necessary for the newly planted tree and they will also require lots of watering during any dry spells in the course of the spring or summertime months. To aid in retaining moisture add mulch about the base of the tree of some properly-rotted compost.
Garden Shed for sale Propagation can be by grafting or seed and although propagation from cuttings is possible, due to bad rooting, it would prove tough to do.
Pests and Ailments
Even though walnut trees are typically free of charge from most diseases and parasites the grey squirrel can damage a whole crop, the codling moth can trigger damage to the nuts and walnut blight can have an result on the leaves.
Pruning of a Walnut Tree
Walnut trees have a tendency not to require frequently pruning but if any dead or crossed branches do require removing this need to only be carried out from the middle of summer season to early autumn, as walnut trees are vulnerable to bleeding.
Hard pruning is not tolerated by walnut trees and no far more than twenty percent of the crown should be removed at any one particular time.
Medicinal Utilizes
The leaves, oil and fruits of the walnut tree are apparently utilised in the remedy of diarrhoea, perspiration, tapeworms, hypothyroidism, various skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema, chilblains and sore throats to name just some!
Other Makes use of of the Walnut Tree
Due to its colour, wavy grain and durability the timber is very prized and is utilized for producing cabinets, tables and chairs, floors, caskets, music boxes, panels, veneers and musical instruments.
Walnut shells are even utilized in the manufacturing of plastics and glue and the face powder I use, corn silk, even consists of ground walnut powder to leave a smooth finish and absorb oil – the very best non-clogging face powder I have ever utilized and I have been undertaking so for the last 25 many years!
Interesting Information
The Native Americans after extracted the soil from the walnut tree for cooking their beans and corn.
Due to its quite numerous attributes, creating it worthy of the Gods, the walnut was referred to as “The Nut of Jupiter” by the ancient Greeks.