Butternut
Juglans cinerea
- Produces Sweet Nuts
- Forms Nut Clusters of 2 to 6
- Distinctive rigid and wrinkly bark
- Native Eastern United States Species
- Grows 40' to 60', 35' to 50' Spread
- Can't Ship To AR, AK, AZ, CA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, OK, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI

Zones 3 - 7
The Butternut (White Walnut) can be expected to grow in the zones shown in color in the arborday.org zone map.VIEW MAP

nut tree
The Butternut (White Walnut) falls into the following type(s): Nut Trees

40' - 60' High
The Butternut (White Walnut) grows to be 40' - 60' feet in height.

35' - 50' Spread
The Butternut (White Walnut) has a spread of about 35' - 50' at full maturity.

Slow Growth
This tree grows at a slow growth rate. [More about this.]

Full Sun
This Butternut (White Walnut) does well in full sun.

Various Soils
The Butternut (White Walnut) grows in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well drained, wet, wide range, clay soils.

Rounded Shape
This Butternut (White Walnut) has rounded shape.

More Info
Attributes:
The butternut or white walnut is one of the hardiest nut trees, A North American native, the nut has a rich, buttery flavor used in baking, confections, and eating fresh. The attractive, light golden wood is used for paneling and furniture.
Wildlife Value:
Nuts are valuable as food for deer, squirrels, and birds.
Leaves:
Pinnately compound, alternate, 11-19 stalkless leaflets, dull, fine hairy, dark green surface
Flower Color:
Yellow-green
Bloom Time:
Late May to early June.
Fruit Description:
A tapered. oblong, 1 1/2"-2 1/2" fruit covered with sticky hairs encloses a brown, corrugated, thick, 1"-1 1/2" shell that terminates in a point. The oval kernel is tender with sweet, oily, buttery flavor. Nut production occurs in 7-10 years. Harvested in late October.
The Butternut or White Walnut produces drooping clusters of nuts. The sweet tasting nuts are commonly used in baking but have other uses as well including candle making. Butternuts produce a good crop every 2 to 3 years and have a distinctive ridged and wrinkled bark. Prefers moist soils. Grows to 40' to 60', 35'-50' spread. (Plant two trees for pollination) (zones 3-7)
| Spring Shipping | Fall Shipping | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Zone |
Approximate Ship Dates |
Order Deadline |
Approximate Ship Dates |
Order Deadline |
| 2 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 3 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 4 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 5 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 6 | 03/19–05/12 | 05/07 | 11/01–12/03 | 11/19 | |
| 7 | 03/11–05/07 | 04/30 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
| 8 | 02/26–04/30 | 04/23 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
| 9 | 02/26–04/30 | 04/23 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
| 10 | 02/26–04/30 | 04/23 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
When you order trees from The Arbor Day Foundation, your order is guaranteed to arrive in a good, healthy condition or we'll replace them at no charge. Your trees will be shipped at a suitable time for planting.
Each tree is guaranteed to grow, or we'll replace it at one half the original price, plus shipping and handling.
The benefits of bare-root trees
Our trees are delivered with natural bare roots which have been dipped in hydrating gel prior to shipment to keep the roots moist and healthy. As their abundant, fibrous roots aren't confined by a container, bare-root trees get off to a more vigorous start compared to containerized roots which typically need more time to adjust to transplanting. Bare-root trees typically surpass the size of larger containerized trees in only a few years.


Natural root (also called bare root) trees are shipped without soil around their roots. They are shipped when dormant in the spring and fall seasons. We dip the roots in a hydrating gel to keep them moist during shipping.
Potted (also called containerized) trees come in 4" containers.