natural herbs
Texas Walnut
Juglans microcarpa

Herb: Texas Walnut

Latin name: Juglans microcarpa

Synonyms: Juglans nana, Juglans rupestris

Family: Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)

Edible parts of Texas Walnut:

Seed - raw. The seed is sweet and oily but it is rather small and has a thick shell. The seed is the smallest of this genus. An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it tends to go rancid quickly.

Description of the plant:

Plant:

Deciduous
Tree

Height:

10 m
(33 feet)

Flowering:

May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Limestone banks of streams, also in valleys and dry rocky ravines.

Other uses of Texas Walnut:

Sometimes used as a rootstock. Plants produce chemicals which can inhibit the growth of other plants. These chemicals are dissolved out of the leaves when it rains and are washed down to the ground below, reducing the growth of plants under the tree. The roots of many members of this genus produce substances that are toxic to many plant species, especially apples (Malus species), members of the Ericaceae, Potentilla spp and the white pines (certain Pinus spp.). Wood - heavy, hard, not strong. It makes a beautiful veneer and has been very over-exploited in the wild for this purpose. It is also used in cabinet making, furniture etc.

Propagation of the herb:

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in individual deep pots in a cold frame. You need to protect it from mice, birds, squirrels etc. The seed usually germinates in late winter or the spring. Plant out the seedlings into their permanent positions in early summer and give some protection from the cold for their first winter or two. The seed can also be stored in cool moist conditions (such s the salad compartment of a fridge) over the winter and sown in early spring but it may then require a period of cold stratification before it will germinate.

Cultivation of Texas Walnut: