Juglans cinerea
White Walnut, Butternut
Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Juglans cinerea.
General Information
Plant Properties
Growth conditions
Moist
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Full sun
Usage properties
Oil, Seed, Sap
Dye, Herbicide, Oil, Wood
Description
The seeds of this plant are eaten raw or ground into powder and then used in baked goods such as cakes, cookies, muffins, and bread. They have an oily and sweet flavor with a rich and pleasant taste. Note that the oil in the seeds is not stable and quickly becomes rancid once opened. The seed, which makes up only about 20% of the weight of the whole seed, is difficult to extract. The immature fruits can be pickled. Each fruit has a diameter of 3 to 6 cm and grows in clusters of 3 to 5 fruits. Edible oil can be extracted from the seeds, but it also quickly goes rancid. In spring, the sweet sap is collected and can be consumed as a refreshing drink. The sap can also be boiled down to a syrup or sugar, or added to maple syrup.