×2Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Butterflies & moths
- Small mammals
- Shelter & nesting
Squirrels and other mammals eat the nuts, songbirds and cavity-nesting birds use the tree, and it hosts the banded hairstreak butterfly.
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
Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
- Ships 2–3 ft tall
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 4–9
- Grows 50–75 ft
$11.95Was $14.95Save 20%
No reviews yet. Be the first to reviewThe quick answer
Black walnut is a native nut and timber tree for USDA zones 4-9 that grows 50-75 ft tall and 50-70 ft wide in full sun. Buy it for rich-flavored nuts and valuable dark wood. Seedlings can start bearing in 6-10 years; plant two for better nut set, and keep it away from gardens because its roots release juglone.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
This plant needs a partner. A lone black walnut often sheds pollen before its own female flowers are ready, so plant at least two seedling black walnuts within about 100 ft for a reliable nut crop.
Expert recommendedPollination partners we sell
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×2Plant 2 Black WalnutEach 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
Black Walnut plant profile
Mature size50–75 ft tall · 50–70 ft wide
Typical (50 ft)Up to 75 ft
Tall, straight trunk with an open, rounded crown.
USDA hardiness zones4–9
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Plant in full sun. Nuts in about 6–10 years.
SoilpH 5.5–8.0
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Grows best in deep, moist, well-drained soil and tolerates clay and high-pH soils; all parts release juglone, which harms many nearby plants.
Native to the USEdible harvestPlant two or moreYellow fall color
Flowers & fruit
- Nuts in 6–10 yrs
- Edible
Drooping male catkins and small female flowers appear in April-May; round green-husked nuts ripen and drop in fall.
Leaves & fall color
Yellow in fall. Large compound leaves with 15-23 leaflets turn yellow and drop early in fall.
Pests & disease
Anthracnose can cause late-summer leaf drop, walnut caterpillars feed on leaves, and thousand cankers disease is a concern in some states.
Pruning
Prune in late winter to remove dead limbs and raise lower branches if you want a straight timber trunk.
Pollination
One Black Walnut won't give you much of a crop. Two will.
Wind-pollinated with male and female flowers on the same tree, but their timing often does not overlap; plant two or more seedlings within about 100 feet for a reliable crop. 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 Black Walnut
SPRINGLeafs out late; long green catkins and small female flowers in April-May
SUMMERLarge compound leaves give open shade; green husked nuts swell
LATE SUMMERAnthracnose can cause early leaf drop
FALLLeaves turn yellow and drop early; nuts fall in their green-black husks
Questions people ask about Black Walnut
Do I need two black walnut trees to get nuts?
One tree can set some nuts, but its pollen and female flowers are often ready at different times, so two or more seedlings within about 100 ft give a much more reliable crop.
How long until a black walnut produces nuts?
Seedling trees can begin bearing in about 6-10 years, but heavy crops usually take around 20 years.
What can I plant near a black walnut?
Its leaves, stems and roots release juglone, which harms tomatoes, apples, blueberries, peonies and azaleas; redbud, hawthorn and tulip tree tolerate it.
How big does a black walnut tree get?
Typically 50-75 ft tall and 50-70 ft wide when grown in the open.
Are black walnuts the same as store-bought walnuts?
No. Store walnuts are usually English walnuts; black walnuts have a harder shell and a stronger, richer flavor.
What arrives when I order a black walnut?
A dormant bare-root seedling, 2-3 ft tall, with no leaves and a long taproot. Plant it promptly without bending the taproot.
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.
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: Morton Arboretum, NC State Extension.