Today I was part of a class with TreeFolks to collect walnut seeds. I learned there are three species of walnuts that grow in Central Texas and all three are relatively rare trees. Juglans microcarpa, aka the little walnut, Juglans nigra, aka Black walnut and Juglans major, aka Arizona Walnut. All three prefer deep soils and access to water, usually growing near pecans along creeks. We found Arizona Walnuts at Zilker park here in Austin and I also collected some in Kerr County, TX. I found the little walnuts along the Frio river in Concan, TX. My mom sent her black walnuts from Cleveland, OH and the class coordinator brought some black walnuts from Smithville Tx. All of the nuts we collected are going to Texas Forest Service and a wholesale grower to be germinated this winter. TreeFolks will use the saplings in reforestation projects in East Travis County next year. The walnuts have become rare in Tx due to over harvesting for lumber because walnut wood is so beautiful, and because they can only grow near water so their habitat is limited. I think they will be a good replacement for ash trees that might get wiped out by emerald ash borers as they make their way thru Texas. I hope in the future thru our efforts that walnuts will be easier to find in nurseries and landscapes. They are beautiful trees.
Arizona Walnut next to a Little Walnut. The little walnut is about the size of a hazelnut.