Anyone have any experience growing butternuts (the TREE, not the Squash)

Pulsegleaner

Garden Addicted
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
3,314
Reaction score
6,339
Points
296
Location
Lower Hudson Valley, New York
Hi all
does anyone have any experience with butternuts (as in the tree Juglans alianthifolia) I'm thinking of adding one or two as part of my walnut grow out tests.

It's an odd thing, but while they are supposedly native to my area, and I have seen occasional evidence of their presence (in the form of empty split shell halves) I have yet to find an actual fruiting tree (and hence be able to taste the nuts). I have heard of some sort of blight they get that Black Walnuts don't but only vaguely.
 

flowerbug

Garden Master
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Messages
15,878
Reaction score
23,771
Points
417
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
i was just reading about those the other day when trying to figure out the relative scale of juglone in the various walnut trees. have never grown them or seen one that i know of. black walnuts grow in the wild around here now but also people plant them.
 

Zeedman

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 10, 2016
Messages
3,890
Reaction score
11,931
Points
307
Location
East-central Wisconsin
There is a small cluster of young butternut trees in the field behind my rural garden, apparently spawned from the parent in a nearby woodlot. The property owner was curious about what they were, and asked if I could identify them. There are not many butternut trees in this area (unlike the black walnuts, which are everywhere). It is worth mentioning that those trees are growing on low, moderately drained ground that is very wet in Spring; several apple trees planted there by the property owner have languished or died.

I remember there was a large butternut tree in my neighborhood growing up; I tried the nuts & wasn't fond of them. I tried the nutmeats raw, maybe I'd feel different about them roasted - but the point is academic, since squirrels get most of them before they fall to the ground.
 
Last edited:

Pulsegleaner

Garden Addicted
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
3,314
Reaction score
6,339
Points
296
Location
Lower Hudson Valley, New York
More or less. Same genus, different species

As for finding them, most nurseries carry saplings

https://www.greenthumbsgarden.com/p...9&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign

https://www.gurneys.com/product/butternut_tree_

Note there is a mistake in the second offering. The nuts shown in the insert appear to be buart nuts (butternut-heartnut crosses) rather than pure butternuts. Pure butternuts look like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Butternu...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2763.l2649
 

Latest posts

Top