Walnut (original) (raw)

(This article is about the walnut tree. For other uses see Walnut (disambiguation).)


Walnut
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Juglandales Family: Juglandaceae Genus: Juglans
Species
Juglans ailanthifolia Carr. - Japanese walnut_Juglans boliviana_ Dode - Bolivian walnut_Juglans californica_ S. Wats. - California walnut_Juglans cinerea_ L. - butternut_Juglans hindsii_ Jepson - N. California walnut_Juglans jamaicensis_ C. DC. - West Indian walnut_Juglans major_ Heller - Arizona black walnut_Juglans microcarpa_ Berl. - little walnut_Juglans neotropica_ Diels - Andean walnut_Juglans nigra_ L. - black walnut_Juglans regia_ L. - Common walnut, English walnut**Hybrids** Juglans X bixbyi Rehd. - Bixby walnut_Juglans X intermedia_ Carr. - intermediate walnut_Juglans X quadrangulata_ Rehd.Reference: [1]as of 2003-03-13

The Walnut is any tree of the genus Juglans which belong to the walnut family, or Juglandaceae. Probably the two best-known members of the walnut family are the Common or Circassian walnut, Juglans regia, native of the region from southern Europe to the Himalaya, and also known as English walnut in the United States, and the American black walnut, Juglans nigra.

These two species are important for their attractive timber. Black walnut hulls are used as a dye source, yielding a rich brown color.

The nuts of all the species named above, as well as other species, are edible, but the walnuts commonly available in stores are the common walnut. A horticultural variety selected for hardiness in temperate zones is sometimes known as the Carpathian walnut.