Juglans nigra 'Thomas'
Common Name(s):
- Description
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Thomas black walnut is a deciduous tree in the walnut family (Juglandaceae) and is a hybrid of the native black walnut.
The tree grows 40 to 65 feet tall and wide in full sun and average well-drained soils. It is deer and verticillium wilt resistant. The taproot contains juglone, which might inhibit the growth of some plants such as azaleas, peonies, some vegetables like tomatoes, and blueberries beneath the tree's dripline.
The spring flowers are followed by large, thin-shelled, easy-to-crack nuts with excellent flavor.
Use Thomas as a shade tree in meadow and woodland locations. It also can be used in butterfly, edible, native and nighttime gardens.
Diseases, Insects and Other Plant Problems: Under pressure in some areas from thousand cankers disease. Other potential diseases include anthracnose, bacterial blight, root rot, canker, leaf spot and shoot dieback. Watch for aphids, fall webworm and a variety of foliage chewing caterpillars.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Juglans
- Species:
- nigra
- Family:
- Juglandaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed. Also a Larval host for Banded Hairstreak butterflies and Luna moth. Meat of the nut is sweet and edible and a favorite food for squirrels.
- Edibility:
- Edible nuts
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 65 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 62 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- Produces large, thin-shelled, easy-to-crack nuts with excellent flavor.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Single-stemmed yellow-green male catkins are 2 ½ to 5 ½ in long, appearing in axillary buds on the previous year's growth. Female flowers are short-spiked in terminal clusters of two to five on the current year's growth. Flowers from April to May and are wind pollinated.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves emerge late and drop early; 12 to 24 inches long with 15 to 23 leaflets, ovate-lanceolate and finely serrate. 3-lobed leaf scar resembling a monkey face. Leaves drop sporadically during the season. More ovate, more leaflets, and less serrated margins than pecan. Leafing is in late spring with yellow-green leaves and fall color of bright clear yellow.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Diamond
- Bark Description:
- Brown ridged and furrowed with rough diamond pattern bark. Bark is thick.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Leaf Scar Shape:
- Encircles a bud
- Pith (Split Longitudinally):
- Chambered
- Stem Description:
- Brown ridged and furrowed with rough diamond pattern bark. Bark is thick.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Problems:
- Allelopathic
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
