This week on the Good Growing podcast we talk all about black walnut. This episode is full of information on black walnut from growing it to eating it. We start with learning to identify black walnut and where we would typically find it in the wild. Watch out for the tree of heaven as this non-native can be misidentified as black walnut. Then we welcome our special guest, Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator Jenna Smith. Jenna describes how we can harvest, store, and use black walnut in the kitchen as an ingredient packed with protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and healthy fats.

Jenna's blog - Simply Nutritious, Quick and Delicious https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/simply-nutritious-quick-and-delicious

Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/yq_D4w0H86I

Skip to what you want to know:

0:31 Hi Ken; winter is coming

1:19 Introducing the black walnut and its relative the Persian (English) walnut

2:57 Black walnut, where does this native tree grow?

5:24 Squirrels and black walnut

6:15 Using black walnut as managed woodland for timber harvest

9:03 The dreaded juglone! Does black walnut kill other plants with chemical warfare?

14:55 Identifying black walnuts - the nut

15:36 The leaf

15:56 The chambered pith of the stem

16:16 The leaf scar (winter ID)

16:57 Look-a-like tree of heaven (invasive)

18:29 Taking black walnut seeds and planting them to grow more black walnut; seed stratification and sourcing

20:12 Time to talk about eating black walnuts

21:33 Welcome Jenna!

22:31 What's the best way to get the black walnut out of the husk and shell?

25:19 How does black walnut compare to English walnut in flavor and size?

26:36 What are the nutritional and health benefits of eating black walnuts?

30:57 How do you store black walnuts long-term?

33:10 What are some uses for black walnut in cooking? Does Jenna have a favorite recipe?

35:19 Why is black walnut so underutilized?

37:33 Farewells and coming up next week

Blog: Crack open black walnuts for a delicious treat https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/simply-nutritious-quick-and-delicious/2021-10-29-crack-open-black-walnuts-nutritious-treat

Do Black Walnuts have Allelopathic Effects on Other Plants? by Linda Chalker-Scott

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333516407_DO_BLACK_WALNUT_TREES_HAVE_ALLELOPATHIC_EFFECTS_ON_OTHER_PLANTS_HOME_GARDEN_SERIES

Juglone and Allelopathy

https://www.allelopathyjournal.com/Journal_Articles/AJ%207%20(1)%20January,%202000%20(1-55).pdf

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Ken Johnson: [email protected]

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