Herb: Walnut


Latin name: Juglans regia kamaonia


Synonyms: Juglans kamaonia


Family: Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)



Medicinal use of Walnut:

The bark, leaves and fruit are used medicinally. No more details are given in this report but another report on Indian medicinal plants gives the following uses for J. nigra (and almost certainly refers to this sub-species):- The bark is anthelmintic and detergent. The leaves are anthelmintic, astringent and tonic. A decoction is considered to be specific in the treatment of strumous sores. The fruit is alterative. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
30 m
(98 feet)

Flowering:
May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Forests, 1500 - 3000 metres in the Himalayas.

Edible parts of Walnut:

Seed - raw or cooked. An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it tends to go rancid quickly.

Other uses of the herb:

The bark and the unripe rind of the fruit are good sources of tannin. 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 also 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 - hard, strongly grained, polishes well. Used for making furniture, carved work, veneers etc.

Propagation of Walnut:

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 the herb:

Forests, 1500 - 3000 metres in the Himalayas.

Known hazards of Juglans regia kamaonia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.