mime-version: 1.0 date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:09:23 -0500 x-mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 from: subject: Black Walnut - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia content-type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C73ED6.8E45C8D0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C73ED6.8E45C8D0 mime-version: 1.0 content-type: text/html; charset="utf-8" content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable content-location: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Walnut =EF=BB=BF Black Walnut - Wikiped= ia, the free encyclopedia

Black Walnut

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search<= /DIV> Black=20 Walnut
Leaves and=20 fruit
Scie= ntific=20 classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnolioph= yta
Class: Magnoliops= ida
Order: Fagales
<= /TD>
Family: Juglandacea= e
Genus: Juglans
Species: J.=20 nigra
Binomial= =20 name
Juglans nigra
L.

The Black Walnut or American Walnut (Juglans nigra= L.)=20 is a native of eastern North America, whe= re it=20 grows, mostly alongside rivers, from southern Ontario, Canada west to southeast = = South=20 Dakota, south to Georgia= ,=20 northern Florida and southwest to= central=20 Texas.

=20
3D""
Mature tree

It is a large deciduous tree attaining heights of 3= 0=E2=80=9340=20 metres (100=E2=80=93130 feet). Under forest competition it develops a tall= , clear bole; the ope= n-grown=20 form has a short bole and broad crown. The bark is grey-black and deeply=20 furrowed. The p= ith of=20 the twigs contains air spaces. The leaves are alternate, 30=E2= =80=9360 cm=20 long, odd-pinnate with 15=E2=80=9323 leaflets, the largest leaflets locate= d in the=20 centre, 7=E2=80=9310 cm long and 2=E2=80=933 cm broad. The male flowers ar= e in drooping catkins 8= =E2=80=9310 cm=20 long, the female flowers terminal, in clusters of two to five, ripening in= the=20 autumn into a fruit=20 with a browish-green, semi-fleshy husk and a brown corrugated nut.=20 The whole fruit, including the husk, falls in October; the seed is relatively small an= d very=20 hard.

The Black Walnut was introduced into Europe in 1629. It is cultivated ther= e as a=20 forest tree for its high quality wood. It is more resistant to frost than = the Persian Walnut, b= ut=20 thrives best in the warmer regions of Europe of fertile, lowland soils wit= h a=20 high water table. It is a light-demanding species. The wood is used to mak= e=20 furniture and rifle stocks, and oil is pressed from the seeds.

The Black Walnut produces a substance that is toxic or "allelopathic" to oth= er=20 plants called juglone. It interfer= es with=20 the healthy development of other plants, especially plants in the Nights= hade=20 family (e.g. tomatoes), causing wiltin= g and=20 yellowing of the foliage. This has caused some to believe that nothing gro= ws=20 under a Black Walnut, but there are many varieties of plants that can. Fes= cue=20 grass is a type of grass that is allelopathic to the Black Walnut.

[edit]=20 Use as food

The extraction of the kernel from the fruit of the Black Walnut is diff= icult.=20 The shell is covered by a thick husk that exudes a dark, staining,=20 strong-smelling juice. The shell itself is so strong that it is sometimes = used=20 in car tires to improve traction.[citation needed] The sh= ell=20 often protrudes into the meat, so whole kernels are often not obtainable.<= /P>

The husk is best removed when green, as the nuts taste better if it is= =20 removed then. Rolling the nut underfoot on a hard surface such as a drivew= ay is=20 a common method; commercial huskers use a car tire rotating against a meta= l=20 mesh. Some take a thick plywood board and drill a nut sized hole in it (fr= om one=20 to two inches in diameter) and smash the nut through using a hammer. The n= ut=20 goes through and the husk remains behind. To keep the husk juices from=20 splattering, a board or canvas scrap may be used to cover the nut before=20 hammering.

Before eating or storage, the nuts should be cured in a dry place for a= t=20 least two weeks. Before cracking, the unshelled nuts may be soaked in hot = water=20 for 24 hours in order to soften the shells, but with a proper cracker this= is=20 not necessary. While the flavor is prized, the difficulty in preparing the= Black=20 Walnut may account for the wider popularity and availability of the Persian Walnut.

[edit]=20 Wood

Black Walnut is highly prized for its dark-colored true heartwood. It is heavy= and=20 strong, yet easily split and worked. Walnut wood has historically been use= d for=20 gunstoc= ks,=20 furniture, flooring, coffins, and a variety of other woodworking products.= It is=20 so valuable that so-called "Walnut Rustlers" have been known to harvest it= =20 illegally by posing as forestry officials, cut= ting=20 trees during the night, and even using helicopters to take them away quick= ly;=20 such overharvesting has greatly reduced its numbers and range since coloni= al=20 times.

[edit]=20 External links and references

3D"
3DWikibooks=20
Wikibooks Cookbook has an article= on=20

Leaf detail. Note the notch at the base of the=20 leaflet.
3D""=20

Fruit.

Detail of bark.

Cross-section of a Black Walnut board. This particular board is o= ver=20 140 years old, demonstrating the=20 durability.

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