Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
Native hardwood nut tree prized for both high-value timber and edible nuts. Black walnut thrives on deep, well-drained bottomland soils common in the growing region. Dual-income potential from nut harvesting and long-term timber value.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Growing Season
- Plant
- Apr - May – Apr - May
- Harvest
- Sep - Oct – Sep - Oct
- Frost-free days
- 170+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 2,000 – 2,600
Yield
- Typical yield
- 1,250 lbs in-shell nuts/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 75 years
- Years to full prod.
- 15
- Labor
- 35 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
Hammons Products and regional hulling stations actively buy black walnuts in this region.
Price Trend Stable/Up
Hulled nut prices at $6-9/lb, trending up; timber prices at historic highs.
Supply Below Demand
Wild harvest is declining; cultivated supply cannot meet growing specialty demand.
Multiple Buyer Channels
Nut buyers, timber buyers, direct retail, specialty food, and export markets.
Value-Added Potential
Black walnut oil, confections, ice cream flavoring, plus high-value timber and veneer.
Market Growth Projected
Growing demand for specialty nuts and sustainable timber; artisanal food trend supports nut market.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Black walnut hardy Zones 4-9; native to the this region.
GDD Sufficient
Regional 2200-2800 GDD meets the 2000+ GDD requirement.
Precipitation Compatible
Regional 35-45 inches within 35-65 inch requirement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Regional 160-200 frost-free days meets the 170-day optimum.
Chill Hours Met
Regional 800-1200 chill hours well within 400-1500 range.
Climate Trend Favorable
Warming trends extend growing season; black walnut adapts across wide range.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
Nut harvesting can use modified pecan equipment; minimal specialized gear needed.
Storage Available
In-shell nuts store well in cool, dry conditions for months; standard warehousing adequate.
Irrigation Compatible
Generally rain-fed in this region; supplemental irrigation optional.
Field Layout Suitable
Wide spacing (30-40 ft) suits alley cropping and agroforestry layouts.
Labor Availability
Relatively low labor requirements at 35 hrs/acre; mechanical harvesting feasible.
Processing Proximity
Hammons Products processes black walnuts regionally; hulling stations operate seasonally in this region.
Equipment Requirements
planting
Sets black walnut seedlings or grafted stock at plantation spacing.
Per-acre cost. Protect seedlings and suppress competing vegetation to boost early growth.
general
Powers sprayers, mowers, and (in larger plantings) shakers and pickup equipment.
Protects seedlings from browsing during vulnerable establishment years.
irrigation
Per-acre cost. Supports survival and early growth of young walnut trees on establishing sites.
spraying
Manages husk fly and anthracnose and controls competing weeds around trees.
cultivation
Controls vegetation and maintains a clean floor for nut harvest.
Black walnut needs corrective pruning to develop straight, high-value timber form.
harvesting
Mechanical shaking speeds harvest on larger plantings; small growers often hand-harvest dropped nuts.
Rolling pickup gathers dropped nuts efficiently from the orchard floor.
post_harvest
Black walnut husks must be removed promptly to prevent kernel staining and off-flavors.
Cures hulled nuts to proper moisture before storage to preserve kernel quality.
Storage Requirements
In-shell, ambient dry storage
Temperature
55–70°F
Humidity
?–65%
Max Storage
180 days
Shelled kernels, refrigerated
Temperature
32–40°F
Max Storage
365 days
Shelled kernels, frozen
Temperature
-10–0°F
Max Storage
730 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Combined nut + timber revenue significantly above row crop returns over time.
Input Costs Acceptable
Annual operating costs ~$2,500/acre are moderate; native species needs minimal inputs.
Payback Period OK
10+ years to full nut production; timber value accrues over decades.
Insurance Available
No standard federal crop insurance for black walnut nuts.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
At ~$114/labor hour, excellent return due to low labor requirements.
Grants/Subsidies
USDA EQIP, CRP, and Forest Legacy programs support establishment.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $8//lb hulled |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $4,000 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $2,500/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $5,000/acre |
| Total Input Cost | $2,500/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $1,500 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | $114 |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
| Subsidies | USDA EQIP, USDA CRP, USDA Forest Legacy |
Source: Missouri Center for Agroforestry, Ohio Timber Works 2025 market report (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
Thousand cankers disease is an emerging threat; walnut husk fly is regionally present.
Market Diversified
Nut food market, timber/veneer, oil extraction, and landscaping value.
Low Establishment Risk
Native species establishes reliably; moderate cost of ~$5,000/acre.
Climate Resilient
Native species highly adapted to regional climate variability and extreme weather.
Regulatory Burden Low
No special permits required; some states have timber harvest regulations.
Diversifies Portfolio
Unique dual-purpose (nut+timber) crop not duplicated in current portfolio.
Known Risks
pest
Larvae feed in developing nuts and cause early nut drop, reducing yield.
A colonial defoliator that can strip foliage from branches; severe outbreaks are infrequent and usually localized.
Larvae form conspicuous webs and defoliate branches late in the season, but damage is largely cosmetic and rarely economic.
Maggots feed in the husk, staining the shell and degrading kernel quality and appearance.
weather
Although black walnut leafs out relatively late, spring frosts can still injure new shoots and reduce nut set.
disease
The most commonly observed walnut disease; causes leaf spotting and premature defoliation that can reduce nut fill and quality in wet seasons, though it seldom kills trees.
A fungal disease vectored by the walnut twig beetle that produces coalescing branch cankers, causing dieback and eventual death of black walnut.
Various canker and root-rot fungi attack stressed trees or those on wet sites, causing decline.
environmental
Black walnut demands deep, well-drained, fertile soils; on shallow, wet, or infertile sites it grows poorly and produces little nut yield.
market
Returns are long-term and nut yields alternate-bear; husking and staining complicate fresh nut sales, and growers must navigate both timber and nut markets.
Nutritional Yield
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 619 kcal | 1,088,016 kcal |
| Protein | 24.1 g | 42,290 g |
| Total fat | 59.3 g | 104,284 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.6 g | 16,839 g |
| Fiber | 6.8 g | 11,952 g |
| Sugar | 1.1 g | 1,933 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
Ecosystem Services
Carbon sequestration
- Durable timber carbon storagehigh
Black walnut is a long-lived hardwood whose high-value timber stores carbon in durable wood products well beyond the life of the standing tree.
Applies when: managed for timber and long rotationEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high
Biodiversity
- Mast and bottomland habitatmoderate
Nuts feed squirrels and other wildlife, and walnut is often planted on bottomland where it adds habitat structure.
Applies when: nuts and canopy presentEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high
Water quality
- Riparian buffer sediment and nutrient capturemoderate
Commonly grown on bottomland and floodplain sites, walnut plantings can function as riparian buffers that trap sediment and nutrients and stabilize banks.
Applies when: planted in riparian or floodplain buffer configurationEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: medium
Soil health
- Deep-rooted nutrient cycling and organic mattermoderate
A deep taproot recycles nutrients from lower soil horizons and leaf litter adds organic matter to the surface.
Applies when: established trees with developed root systemsEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: medium
Climate adaptation
- Agroforestry and silvopasture integrationmoderate
Black walnut is widely used in alley-cropping and silvopasture systems, diversifying production and adding resilience through combined tree and understory yields.
Applies when: agroforestry or silvopasture configurationEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: medium
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: USDA Forest Service Silvics of North America, USDA NRCS Plant Guide (Juglans nigra), Purdue Extension FNR-119, Missouri Center for Agroforestry AF1023, Savanna Institute, Ohio Timber Works market report. Verified 2026-04-13.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
61 tracked changes across 12 data categories