×2Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Small mammals
The nuts feed squirrels, chipmunks and other small mammals and birds.
Ships bare root
Native
Mature plant shown. Yours ships dormant and bare root.
What arrives
1 dormant bare-root plant, about 2–3 ft tall
- No leaves, no pot, no soil. Roots packed moist.
- Ships in your zone's planting window.
- Leafs out about 4–8 weeks after planting.
Native tree · edible
Butternut
Juglans cinerea
- Ships 2–3 ft tall
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 3–7
- Grows 40–60 ft
$11.95Was $14.95Save 20%
5.0 out of 5 · 1 reviewsThe quick answer
Butternut, or white walnut, is a native nut tree for USDA zones 3-7 that grows 40-60 ft tall and 30-50 ft wide in full sun. It is grown for sweet, oily nuts and wildlife food. Plant two seedlings because trees cross-pollinate best; good crops usually start around 20 years. It is highly susceptible to butternut canker.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
This plant needs a partner. A butternut's male and female flowers usually open at different times, so plant at least two butternut seedlings within about 100 ft for good nut set; black walnut is not a reliable pollinator.
Expert recommendedPollination partners we sell
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×2Plant 2 ButternutEach seedling is genetically different, so two or more pollinate each other.
Planting a hedge or row?
Free shipping on orders $75+$75
Healthy deliveryOr we replace it
Shipped dormantTimed to your zone
1-year warrantyStore credit, terms
Butternut plant profile
Mature size40–60 ft tall · 30–50 ft wide
Typical (40 ft)Up to 60 ft
Broad, rounded to open crown on a short trunk.
USDA hardiness zones3–7
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Needs full sun; does not tolerate shade or crowding. Nuts in about 20+ years.
SoilpH 6.0–8.0
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Grows best in moist, well-drained soil and tolerates rocky limestone soils; sensitive to drought.
Native to the USEdible harvestPlant two or moreYellow fall color
Flowers & fruit
- Nuts in 20+ yrs
- Edible
Inconspicuous catkins and small female spikes appear in spring, followed by oblong, sticky-husked nuts that ripen in fall.
Leaves & fall color
Yellow in fall. Long pinnately compound leaves with 11-17 leaflets turn yellow in fall.
Pests & disease
Highly susceptible to butternut canker, a lethal fungal disease; walnut caterpillars and husk flies may also occur.
Pruning
Prune in late winter while dormant; remove dead branches promptly and sanitize tools because of canker.
Pollination
One Butternut won't give you much of a crop. Two will.
Wind-pollinated; male and female flowers on one tree usually mature at different times, so plant two or more butternuts. Shipping on one plant is $9.95 and on two it's $10.95, so the second plant adds just $1 in shipping.
Bare root vs potted
Skip the garden-center markup.
Garden centers buy young plants, pot them, grow them another season and mark them up. We ship yours dormant and bare root, timed to your planting window.
Bare root, from us$11.95ships dormant
Example: 3-gal potted American hazelnut$70–$140online retail prices checked Oct 2026
A year with your Butternut
SPRINGCatkins and small female flowers as leaves emerge
SUMMERLong compound leaves; sticky green husked nuts form
LATE SUMMERNuts reach full size
FALLNuts drop; leaves turn yellow
Questions people ask about Butternut
Do butternut trees need a pollinator?
Yes, plant at least two; a single tree's male and female flowers usually open at different times, so nearby butternuts give much better nut set.
Will black walnut pollinate butternut?
No reliable crosses between black walnut and butternut have been confirmed, so plant another butternut instead.
How long until a butternut tree produces nuts?
Seed production typically begins around 20 years of age, with the best crops between 30 and 60 years.
What is butternut canker?
It is a lethal fungal disease that has killed many wild butternuts; open-grown trees appear to hold up better than those in dense stands.
Does butternut harm nearby plants like black walnut does?
Yes, butternut is related to black walnut and is also allelopathic, so pick tolerant companion plants.
How is the butternut tree shipped?
It arrives as a dormant bare-root seedling about 2-3 ft tall with a long taproot; plant it deep and straight.
Plant it in 4 steps
- Soak the roots in cold water overnight before planting.
- Dig twice as wide as the roots; plant at the depth it grew.
- Water, then mulch. No fertilizer the first season.
- Plant its partner nearby.
Customer Reviews
Based on 1 review
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I ordered four 3-4 foot Butternut trees back in April or May. When the trees arrived a few weeks ago, I followed the planting instructions and soaked the roots for 24 hours. The trees budded and began to leaf out within only a few days. All four trees are growing well now.
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: Morton Arboretum, USDA Forest Service, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans_cinerea.