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Butternut |
Scientific:
Juglans cinerea L.
Description:
Leaves:
30-60 cm (12 – 24 in) with 11-17 almost stalkless leaflets.
Yellowish-green, rough above, paler and densely hairy below; 9-15 cm
leaflets lie opposite each other on a stout, hairy, central stalk.
Terminal leaflet same size as the lateral leaflets; lateral leaflets are
progressively smaller toward the base. Buds:
Blunt, tan-colored and hairy; arranged alternatively along the twig.
Large, elongated, somewhat flattened terminal bud at the end of the
twig. Twigs:
Buff-colored and covered with a dense carpet of hairs. Pith is dark
brown and filled with chambers. A hairy fringe lies above each leaf
scar. Bark:
Grey and smooth on young trees; separating into wide, irregular,
flat-topped, intersecting ridges as the tree matures. Flowers:
Male flowers with 8-12 stamens, catkins 6-14 cm (2 – 6 in) long.
Female flowers in erect clusters of 4-7; flower in May. Fruits: Oval nut with pointed ends, encased in a sticky, hairy, yellowish-green husk. Surface of nut shell with irregular jagged ridges, 5-7 cm (2 – 3 in). Nuts occur singly or in clusters of 2-5, ripening from late September to mid-October. Size
and Form: Small to medium-sized tree, up to 25 m (88
ft) high, 75 cm (30 in) in diameter, and 80 years old. Smaller branches
tend to bend downwards and turn up at the tips. Similar Species: Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) close relative. Habitat: Grows best in rich, moist, well-drained soils and gravel sites where limestone is present. Intolerant of shade, butternut is often found in open areas such as shallow valleys, edges of streams and rivers, fence lines or fields. Usually found as scattered individuals or in small groups. Ecological
Role: Traditionally
used for medicinal and cultural purposes by First Nations. Today,
it is valued for wood (carving, furniture making), flavorful nuts,
wildlife mast and forest diversity.
Threats:
Butternut canker (Sirococcus clavigneti-juglandacearum) which can
infect and kill healthy, injured or stressed trees. The fungus induces
multiple cankers that girdle the tree, resulting in partial to complete
death. 90% of butternuts in Ontario are diseased. There is no control for
butternut canker, so prevention and conservation are the best ways to
protect butternut trees. What
you can do: Report to
the Natural Heritage Information Center: http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/nhic_.cfm
and Forest Gene Conservation Association: www.fgca.net.
Do not transport diseased logs
into disease-free areas and retain healthy trees. Currently the Lake
Nipissing watershed is disease free. Compiled by: Megan Smith, OMNR. |
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