Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Our native butternut (Juglans cinerea) is endangered and needs your help! We live in a region with a very special population of this species, which is threatened throughout its range by a fungal disease called butternut canker. There is some hope that resistance to the fungus exists among a very small number of trees, and that is why retaining healthy seed producing trees is so important for the recovery effort. All of our seedlings are grown from nuts collected from wild trees that showed no sign of disease, and although this is no guarantee that they will not eventually also succumb to it, it does offer some hope that there is a genetic factor to their survival.

Like other members of the walnut family, Butternuts produce an edible nut with a unique taste that is milder and slightly sweeter than walnuts you would buy in a store. They should be planted in a full sun location and given lots of room to grow, as they do not like competition.

Seed Source(s): New Brunswick

Hardiness (Canada): 4