Butternut
Juglans cinerea
Butternut is a medium-sized North American walnut relative prized for its sweet, oily nuts and historically for a yellow-brown dye. Wild populations have been devastated by butternut canker disease.
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; prefers moist, well-drained soil
- Difficulty
- Moderate
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Overview
Butternut (Juglans cinerea) is a deciduous tree in the walnut family, native to eastern North America. It is closely related to black walnut but is smaller, shorter-lived, and bears more elongated, sticky nuts.
The tree earns its "white walnut" name from its pale, lightweight wood. Its common name butternut refers to the rich, buttery flavor of its kernels, which were a valued food for Indigenous peoples and early settlers.
Unfortunately, butternut is now in serious decline across its range due to butternut canker, a fungal disease (Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum) that has killed a large share of mature trees.
How to identify it
- Leaves: Pinnately compound, 12–24 in long, with 11–17 lance-shaped, finely toothed leaflets; the terminal leaflet is usually present (unlike many black walnuts).
- Bark: Light gray with smooth, flat-topped ridges separated by darker furrows, giving a distinctive ash-gray "woven" look.
- Twigs: Have a chambered, dark-brown pith and a velvety, fuzzy band above the leaf scar.
- Fruit: Egg-shaped to oblong nuts borne in sticky, hairy green husks; the deeply ridged, sharp-edged shell encloses a sweet, oily kernel.
- Size & habit: Typically 40–60 ft tall with a broad, open, spreading crown.
Care & growing
Butternut needs full sun and does best in deep, moist, well-drained loam, though it tolerates rocky and limestone soils.
- Water: Keep young trees evenly moist; established trees are moderately drought tolerant.
- Soil: Slightly acidic to neutral, fertile soil; dislikes compacted or waterlogged ground.
- Temperature: Very cold-hardy (USDA zones 3–7).
- Feeding: Rarely needed in decent soil; a balanced fertilizer aids young trees.
- Propagation: Grown from seed (stratify nuts over winter); disease-resistant selections are sometimes grafted. Note the roots and leaves release juglone, which inhibits nearby sensitive plants.
Habitat & origin
Native to eastern North America, from New Brunswick and Quebec west to Minnesota and south through the Appalachians to Georgia and Arkansas.
It grows naturally in rich, moist woods, along streambanks, and on well-drained slopes, usually as a scattered tree rather than in dense stands. Because of butternut canker, healthy wild specimens are increasingly rare, and the species is considered threatened or endangered in parts of its range.
Uses & benefits
- Culinary: The sweet, oily nuts are eaten raw, baked into breads and candies, or pressed for oil.
- Dye: Husks and bark yield a yellow-to-orange-brown dye; Confederate "butternut" uniforms were colored this way.
- Wood: Light, soft, and easily carved, it is prized for furniture, paneling, and woodcarving.
- Wildlife: Squirrels and other mammals rely on the nutritious nuts.
Frequently asked questions
How is butternut different from black walnut?
Butternut is smaller, has lighter bark and wood, more elongated sticky nuts, and a sweeter, oilier kernel. Its twigs have a fuzzy band above the leaf scar, which black walnut lacks.
Why are butternut trees disappearing?
A fungal disease called butternut canker has killed the majority of mature trees across the species' range, making healthy specimens increasingly uncommon.
Can I plant other plants near a butternut?
Butternut releases juglone, a compound toxic to many plants, though it produces less than black walnut. Avoid planting juglone-sensitive species like tomatoes and rhododendrons nearby.
Are butternuts edible?
Yes. The kernels are sweet and rich in oil and were an important traditional food, eaten raw or used in baking.
Butternut guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Butternut.
