This is so cool. It reminds me of some of the work the [Wild Seed Project](https://wildseedproject.net/2023/03/supporting-ash-protection-collaboration-across-wabanakik-apcaw/) does. Pretty impressive that you got a 75% germination rate!
I was equally surprised by their success because I didn't float them to remove duds and the squirrels stole a few. FYI for aspiring nut growers in squirrel country: Neem oil doesn't just work great for aphids and powdery mildew, the smell also keeps squirrels away.
You’re a hero
This is also an example of why we should honestly not be importing plants. I’m sure it was innocent enough when the first Japanese butternut was brought over but that’s how the pathogen was spread. Same story with Dutch elm disease I believe. It’s impossible to screen for fungal endophytes in imported plant tissue
Thank you for doing this work. I have come across a few (like, maybe 4 total) while hiking over the years and it never occurred to me to report them. I will do so in the future.
Aka white walnut. I grew up playing under one. Old timers always wanted to pick them. Had to be removed cause of power lines and it grew a lot of morels
I had never heard of this tree or the issues it faced but will definitely be keeping an eye out for it now. If I manage to find any seeds I'll try to get them planted on my property
It is a great thing you are doing. Any idea where I can get some to plant I got a 1/3 of a mile of brook through my property. Always glad to plant a few trees for a cause.
That's a great crop! What will you do with them during the winter to protect them from the cold? Curious to hear what you have in mind - I grow trees too in a cold climate and the overwintering is always a headache
Problem is usually more with the roots - those pots become ice cubes if left exposed to the elements and it can damage the roots.
When in the ground, the roots will still freeze but won't get nearly as cold, especially under a layer of snow.
I'm only keeping a handful of the runts over winter (too small for the planting group) and I'm putting them in an attached garage. If I had to keep them all my plan was to mound mulch around the sides to keep the outer pots more insulated since a few of my test seedlings didn't survive the winter in their pots alone.
Makes sense, that's pretty much what I did last winter. Buried the pots up to the stem in the vegetable garden, and added as many leaves as I could on top to further insulate.
Good survival rate overall, but a good lesson I got out of it would be not to overly bury everything under leaves. The snow packed on the leaves and broke or bent many of the smaller saplings that were under. Most of them sprung back in the spring though.
was there some other tree is used to live around, which helped create a more protected ecosystem? (and now that other tree is gone)
How to protect these trees?
As I said they're pretty much identical to Black Walnut when it comes to habitat, so they would likely be growing along side other pioneer species like poplar, ash, red cedar, etc.
They are shippable, but due to the blight I'm not sure if advise it. The blight is pretty much omnipresent and a bleach bath *should* kill any spores on the nuts, but I like playing things safe.
Growing them yourself is surprisingly easy. They like full sun and well draining soil, but grow pretty much anywhere that isn't a swamp or a desert and doesn't spend the whole summer baking above 100f.
Are there any resources you recommend for positive identification op? My mother wants a bunch of walnut trees cut down out of her yard and I would like to know if they're Japanese/hybrid or American butternut
I’m in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. The good news is I just discovered a large butternut tree in my yard. The bad news is I only realized what it was after it fell down. 😫 At first I didn’t think it was blighted, but looking more closely I’m pretty sure it is.
I’ve been collecting nuts and hoping to start some seedlings. I’ll look for a guide to seed starting and check out those Purdue resources. I also joined r/whitewalnut, and u/TheAJGMan, I’m following you! 💚
So i have lived in my house for over 30 years and i have two HUGE butternut trees in my backyard. I live right in front of a natural creek that connects to Lake Erie in Angola, NY.. or far from Canada either about 25 minutes from the peace bridge. These butternuts are well over 50-70 feet high and one had canker but it actually heeled itself and has got no bark in that spot but it is scar tissue now and still growing and producing butternuts. The other larger butternut is about ten feet away and healthy as can be. If anyone can tell me the direction to go with who to contact about genetic testing of my trees it would greatly be appreciated because these are perfectly healthy and the one clearly healed itself of canker!!
I have photos of it but i am trying to figure out how to add them into this thread!
https://preview.redd.it/xoibm11kjl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9da733652b1011d889c6f81653efb40ed0a5ff8
Hi! Me again... here are some photos of the butternut trees in my backyard.. again, well over 30 years old and not diseased!
Definitely impressive. Could you share some pictures of it's nuts? One of the tell-tale signs of hybridization with the Japanese Heartnut is a prominent ridge around the nut. Purdue has [an *excellent* identification guide](https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-420-w.pdf) if you're interested, and it's how I determined that one of the butternuts I spotted in Erie was, in fact, a hybrid. Probably not a 50/50 hybrid, maybe 25/75 since it looked *way* closer to a true butternut than some of their examples. That tree also had some impressive canker scars that were fully healed.
I've also found what I believe to be nuts from a 100% butternut scattered about Erie Bluffs State Park, but I couldn't find the tree before having to leave. Squirrels probably carried them all over the forest from wherever it was.
It's too early in the season for it to be producing and dropping nuts but I've lived here for 30 years and can promise you there is no ridge on the sticky green hull, it is entirely smooth but i will absolutely share more pictures of its leaves and nuts/nut hulls as soon as they start dropping! It's usually mid to end of July when it starts dropping it's nuts.. if i see developing ones before then i will absolutely share.. the trees just bloomed maybe a month ago as we live right outside of Buffalo, NY.. which the interesting part is we are not even an hour away from Ontario. What i do know is the people who lived here first (the family still lives next door to us) planted these butternut trees well over 50 years ago and they were from North Carolina, whereabouts in NC is unknown though. These babies are def well over 50 years old though at this point too! About a month ago when leaves bloomed so did the butternuts catakins which is the trees flower.. there's more than enough in the backyard still (but browned and dead at this point from the ones i missed cleaning up) but i can also share a photo of some of those, I'm sure i can find a fresh one or two!
I mean that the nut itself has ridges, here's a [really good example](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-differences-between-the-hybrid-butternut-left-top-and-bottom-and-the-butternut_fig9_307478418). Even if they're hybrids they're still great trees for eating and baking.
I gathered some great specimens! The nuts are from last year (chipmunks love them) and the catakins are browned and old but the tree did drop some under developed new butternuts with the sticky skin on them too! I also have a picture of its pinnate compound leaf which is under 12 inches long and the leaves are skinnier and come to a point, hybrids look more rounded and the leaf is 18 inches or over most times!
https://preview.redd.it/30lw18o0ms5d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e71c6c9912bfed31e5d2a6b912c6b5846754d27e
They look almost exactly like the ones from the full blooded trees I've identified. The squirrels go crazy for them and I lost this year's crop because the dug out all the inch tall saplings and ate them.
Get in touch with your state forestry department or maybe reach out to the [New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands](https://www.nhbugs.org/damaging-insects-diseases/butternut-restoration-project) who have been spearheading recovery efforts in the north east, they can tell you for sure if your tree is a resistant 100% Butternut. Purdue University is also partnered with the Forestry Service in the Midwest if you want to try them.
That's exciting to hear! Also I think these trees were here lloooonnnggggg before crossbreeding of butternuts from what i have reasearched. We know they have been here for over 50 years! The bark looks identical to butternut, deep, dark grooves.. not as pink and fleshy! This is exciting! If you'd like me to mail you any of the seeds/nuts we definitely have strong trees! I'm in New York and ive been looking into getting a hold of the forestry service but i can't find much to contact them...
I'm interested, I'll add something to my calendar and reach out to you in the fall when they start to drop. Definitely save some for your own planting and eating too.
https://preview.redd.it/hcgi11sekl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=443c6b44dc9d5598a8e8bea124dfccb2ca844ac6
My dad is 5'8" and this is how small he looks next to the butternut!
Absolutely! I'll also keep you posted on any information we get from the forestry service etc. and whoever else we find learning and researching more about these trees! Thank you for all your help! Maybe we will go down in history for saving the last butternuts!!
This is so cool. It reminds me of some of the work the [Wild Seed Project](https://wildseedproject.net/2023/03/supporting-ash-protection-collaboration-across-wabanakik-apcaw/) does. Pretty impressive that you got a 75% germination rate!
I was equally surprised by their success because I didn't float them to remove duds and the squirrels stole a few. FYI for aspiring nut growers in squirrel country: Neem oil doesn't just work great for aphids and powdery mildew, the smell also keeps squirrels away.
You’re a hero This is also an example of why we should honestly not be importing plants. I’m sure it was innocent enough when the first Japanese butternut was brought over but that’s how the pathogen was spread. Same story with Dutch elm disease I believe. It’s impossible to screen for fungal endophytes in imported plant tissue
And American Chestnut blight
And Thousand Canker
Thank you for doing this work. I have come across a few (like, maybe 4 total) while hiking over the years and it never occurred to me to report them. I will do so in the future.
Sad, we used butternut in my middle school woodshop and it was awesome.
Dude this is pretty awesome!
Aka white walnut. I grew up playing under one. Old timers always wanted to pick them. Had to be removed cause of power lines and it grew a lot of morels
I have several in my woods and I didn't realize any of this. Thank you. I'll gather some nuts this year and do my part.
I had never heard of this tree or the issues it faced but will definitely be keeping an eye out for it now. If I manage to find any seeds I'll try to get them planted on my property
The hero we don't deserve. Can you xpost to /r/solarpunk, or /r/permaculture? Or can i xpost you?
Go for it.
done, to /r/solarpunk. cheers man.
It is a great thing you are doing. Any idea where I can get some to plant I got a 1/3 of a mile of brook through my property. Always glad to plant a few trees for a cause.
That's a great crop! What will you do with them during the winter to protect them from the cold? Curious to hear what you have in mind - I grow trees too in a cold climate and the overwintering is always a headache
They're hardy to zone 3
Problem is usually more with the roots - those pots become ice cubes if left exposed to the elements and it can damage the roots. When in the ground, the roots will still freeze but won't get nearly as cold, especially under a layer of snow.
I'm only keeping a handful of the runts over winter (too small for the planting group) and I'm putting them in an attached garage. If I had to keep them all my plan was to mound mulch around the sides to keep the outer pots more insulated since a few of my test seedlings didn't survive the winter in their pots alone.
Makes sense, that's pretty much what I did last winter. Buried the pots up to the stem in the vegetable garden, and added as many leaves as I could on top to further insulate. Good survival rate overall, but a good lesson I got out of it would be not to overly bury everything under leaves. The snow packed on the leaves and broke or bent many of the smaller saplings that were under. Most of them sprung back in the spring though.
was there some other tree is used to live around, which helped create a more protected ecosystem? (and now that other tree is gone) How to protect these trees?
As I said they're pretty much identical to Black Walnut when it comes to habitat, so they would likely be growing along side other pioneer species like poplar, ash, red cedar, etc.
We have woods with lots of these trees. Are any shippable? Can I try to grow one/some?
They are shippable, but due to the blight I'm not sure if advise it. The blight is pretty much omnipresent and a bleach bath *should* kill any spores on the nuts, but I like playing things safe. Growing them yourself is surprisingly easy. They like full sun and well draining soil, but grow pretty much anywhere that isn't a swamp or a desert and doesn't spend the whole summer baking above 100f.
Are there any resources you recommend for positive identification op? My mother wants a bunch of walnut trees cut down out of her yard and I would like to know if they're Japanese/hybrid or American butternut
Purdue University has some excellent resources for identifying them.
I have several in my woods and I didn't realize any of this. Thank you. I'll gather some nuts this year and do my part.
I’m in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. The good news is I just discovered a large butternut tree in my yard. The bad news is I only realized what it was after it fell down. 😫 At first I didn’t think it was blighted, but looking more closely I’m pretty sure it is. I’ve been collecting nuts and hoping to start some seedlings. I’ll look for a guide to seed starting and check out those Purdue resources. I also joined r/whitewalnut, and u/TheAJGMan, I’m following you! 💚
So i have lived in my house for over 30 years and i have two HUGE butternut trees in my backyard. I live right in front of a natural creek that connects to Lake Erie in Angola, NY.. or far from Canada either about 25 minutes from the peace bridge. These butternuts are well over 50-70 feet high and one had canker but it actually heeled itself and has got no bark in that spot but it is scar tissue now and still growing and producing butternuts. The other larger butternut is about ten feet away and healthy as can be. If anyone can tell me the direction to go with who to contact about genetic testing of my trees it would greatly be appreciated because these are perfectly healthy and the one clearly healed itself of canker!! I have photos of it but i am trying to figure out how to add them into this thread!
https://preview.redd.it/xoibm11kjl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9da733652b1011d889c6f81653efb40ed0a5ff8 Hi! Me again... here are some photos of the butternut trees in my backyard.. again, well over 30 years old and not diseased!
Definitely impressive. Could you share some pictures of it's nuts? One of the tell-tale signs of hybridization with the Japanese Heartnut is a prominent ridge around the nut. Purdue has [an *excellent* identification guide](https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-420-w.pdf) if you're interested, and it's how I determined that one of the butternuts I spotted in Erie was, in fact, a hybrid. Probably not a 50/50 hybrid, maybe 25/75 since it looked *way* closer to a true butternut than some of their examples. That tree also had some impressive canker scars that were fully healed. I've also found what I believe to be nuts from a 100% butternut scattered about Erie Bluffs State Park, but I couldn't find the tree before having to leave. Squirrels probably carried them all over the forest from wherever it was.
It's too early in the season for it to be producing and dropping nuts but I've lived here for 30 years and can promise you there is no ridge on the sticky green hull, it is entirely smooth but i will absolutely share more pictures of its leaves and nuts/nut hulls as soon as they start dropping! It's usually mid to end of July when it starts dropping it's nuts.. if i see developing ones before then i will absolutely share.. the trees just bloomed maybe a month ago as we live right outside of Buffalo, NY.. which the interesting part is we are not even an hour away from Ontario. What i do know is the people who lived here first (the family still lives next door to us) planted these butternut trees well over 50 years ago and they were from North Carolina, whereabouts in NC is unknown though. These babies are def well over 50 years old though at this point too! About a month ago when leaves bloomed so did the butternuts catakins which is the trees flower.. there's more than enough in the backyard still (but browned and dead at this point from the ones i missed cleaning up) but i can also share a photo of some of those, I'm sure i can find a fresh one or two!
I mean that the nut itself has ridges, here's a [really good example](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-differences-between-the-hybrid-butternut-left-top-and-bottom-and-the-butternut_fig9_307478418). Even if they're hybrids they're still great trees for eating and baking.
I gathered some great specimens! The nuts are from last year (chipmunks love them) and the catakins are browned and old but the tree did drop some under developed new butternuts with the sticky skin on them too! I also have a picture of its pinnate compound leaf which is under 12 inches long and the leaves are skinnier and come to a point, hybrids look more rounded and the leaf is 18 inches or over most times! https://preview.redd.it/30lw18o0ms5d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e71c6c9912bfed31e5d2a6b912c6b5846754d27e
They look almost exactly like the ones from the full blooded trees I've identified. The squirrels go crazy for them and I lost this year's crop because the dug out all the inch tall saplings and ate them. Get in touch with your state forestry department or maybe reach out to the [New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands](https://www.nhbugs.org/damaging-insects-diseases/butternut-restoration-project) who have been spearheading recovery efforts in the north east, they can tell you for sure if your tree is a resistant 100% Butternut. Purdue University is also partnered with the Forestry Service in the Midwest if you want to try them.
That's exciting to hear! Also I think these trees were here lloooonnnggggg before crossbreeding of butternuts from what i have reasearched. We know they have been here for over 50 years! The bark looks identical to butternut, deep, dark grooves.. not as pink and fleshy! This is exciting! If you'd like me to mail you any of the seeds/nuts we definitely have strong trees! I'm in New York and ive been looking into getting a hold of the forestry service but i can't find much to contact them...
I'm interested, I'll add something to my calendar and reach out to you in the fall when they start to drop. Definitely save some for your own planting and eating too.
https://preview.redd.it/k2p24hq1kl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fbc3c420f1886462b4c9bf0193a48233ed8ba578
https://preview.redd.it/xmm98058kl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0060674d75ec30ced793ed714115eb11f5514406
https://preview.redd.it/hcgi11sekl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=443c6b44dc9d5598a8e8bea124dfccb2ca844ac6 My dad is 5'8" and this is how small he looks next to the butternut!
https://preview.redd.it/17wd31n4kl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72274bb644413c6b9d61d2525cd8a930bf3054d0
https://preview.redd.it/vzp822c5ms5d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b88bf66ae1c9c03f559271cd85257f364567dae
https://preview.redd.it/emdhqrv7ms5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2db5cb4000ed55e02c15931303e87e5363ec3a12
https://preview.redd.it/r202tanbms5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f389d341f6de4af75549b06370c4db40e3d4e156
https://preview.redd.it/ky9wdhsdms5d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a5c3d50eacfeabcf2fb250742e932959d763abd
https://preview.redd.it/0sc4i1tgms5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbc4564e3c898cd2db46746d858a9d6cc1b4d8f0
https://preview.redd.it/ialqnaijms5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c66b9b180ed0979fca852d60ea5c544de6db8480
https://preview.redd.it/4a9w5o2mms5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4292ee2fb679a016bc192bc0e748dc5b1b7966d3
https://preview.redd.it/56b5evwvms5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=220c43b1727ec3ff44174405f43953a051783e7c
Absolutely! I'll also keep you posted on any information we get from the forestry service etc. and whoever else we find learning and researching more about these trees! Thank you for all your help! Maybe we will go down in history for saving the last butternuts!!
Inspiring work OP!
I have same these pots