Black Walnut

The Black Walnut is one of the tall trees of Ohio's original forests. Ohio's tallest today is 105 feet and grows in Holmes County. The tree commonly is found in bottomlands, but also grows on hillsides with rich soils. It is found throughout most of Ohio except in prairie areas. Its rich, dark brown, close-grained wood makes this tree one of the most valuable of our hardwoods. Historically, the wood was widely used in building construction. Today, it is prized for cabinet work and fine furniture. Humans compete with squirrels for the tasty nuts. Because of a toxic substance coming from the roots of the Black Walnut, many garden plants such as tomatoes and blackberries cannot grow under these trees.