Arizona Walnut

Juglans major

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Photographed along Sycamore Creek in the western foothills of the Mazatzal Mountains, Maricopa Co., Arizona. April 2008. Pendulent spikes of male flowers at left in this image.

TREE: Medium sized tree found in shady, well-watered canyons. Under ideal conditions, mostly beyond the Sonoran Desert, mature trees reach a height of 15 meters. Dark brown to nearly black, furrowed bark.

LEAVES: Large, compound leaves are alternate on the stems. Odd number of leaflets are toothed, nine or more.

RANGE: Generally occurs at higher elevations than the Sonoran Desert. Deep canyons with partial shade and permanent water. Found in mountainous areas at mid elevations from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico. Nogales is the Spanish name for walnut.

FRUIT: Fleshy husk over a hard-shelled nut. Husk is strongly aromatic.

FLOWERS: Separate male and female flowers on the same plant, born in spikes. Male spikes have many more flowers than the female spikes.

UNARMED

Juglandaceae -- Walnut Family

More Information:

• Northern Arizona Flora
• Virginia Tech Dept. Forestry
• USDA Plant Profile
• ITIS Taxonomic Report
• Google Images
• Google Scholar Literature Search

This pair of mature Arizona Walnuts were growing along Sycamore Creek in the Pine Mountain Wilderness, Yavapai Co., Arizona. June 2009.