Black walnut vs butternut
Black walnut has round green husks surrounding the nuts. Butternut has sweet, oily kernels in deeply ridged shells and a spreading crown. We grow both from Manitoba seed.
Currently unavailable
View plants →Currently unavailable
View plants →Growing details
| Detail | Black Walnut | Butternut |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts | Edible walnuts inside round green husks | Sweet, oily nuts with deeply ridged shells |
| Husks | Round and about the size of an orange | Sticky green husks |
| Local harvest | Usually early October | September into October |
| Tree form | Straight trunk with an open, rounded crown | Open, spreading crown |
| Cold hardiness zone | 3 | 3 |
| Mature size | About 50 ft in Manitoba | About 40 to 60 ft |
A closer look
Black Walnut
Our black walnut seed comes from mature Manitoba trees. The nursery trees are also grown from local seed, rather than being grafted nut cultivars. Individual seedlings vary in growth and nuts.
Butternut
Butternut is also called white walnut. Its sweet kernels are enclosed by a deeply ridged shell. Butternut canker can seriously damage or kill these trees, so it is an important consideration when choosing them. For either species, some nuts continue germinating later in the season after others have already emerged.