Medicinal Monday - The Bounty of Black Walnuts

Connecticut has its' fair share of black walnut trees that have been a popular source of food here, and the world over for thousands of years.  The indigenous peoples of Connecticut enjoyed the eastern black walnut in many different ways for it's nutritional as well as its medicinal value.

About Black Walnuts

The black walnut tree originated in the eastern United States and spread westward, between Connecticut and California.  The black walnut tree is a large fruit-bearing shade tree that can grow up to 100 feet.  The tree's root system is very deep and can be up to ten feet long making this ree very stable.  The drawback to deep roots is that this tree has difficulty in soaking up water which is why it is often found near rivers, ponds, streams or in areas with regular rainfall.

The leaf of the tree is spear shaped and is light green.  Small, green walnut fruit appears in early summer and matures into an egg-shaped sphere by early fall.  Ripe walnuts are green, brown or light tan and fall to the ground in a one to two month period, usually in September and October in Connecticut. The shell of the black walnut is really hard and not edible.  The husk and shell must be removed to get to the fruit inside.  Most Native Americans smashed the nut between stones. The nuts are a good source of protein and are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and 75% of this nut consists of oil.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses

Medicinal 

Black walnuts were used in a number of ailments for humans and animals.  The Cherokee, Comanche, Delaware, Houma, Iroquois, and others used black walnuts as a dermatological aid; an infusion was made to use as a wash for sores, pulverized leaves were rubbed on the skin to treat ringworm, sap was collected and used to treat inflammation and an infusion of the nut shells were used as a wash for "the itch".  The Iroquois also used as a decoction that was mixed with brandy that was taken as a blood purifier.  The Iroquois also made a poultice of the bark to treat "craziness" and also used an infusion of bark as a medicine for rain.  The Meskwaki used charred twig bark and old bark applied in water for snakebite.  The Rappahannock used an infusion of the root of the tree to prevent dysentery; the north side of the bark was used as a poultice for chills.  The White Mountain Apache used to rub their horses and livestock with a concoction of the juice of the husk of the nut to protect their animals from parasites.

Culinary 

Records indicate that many tribes used black walnuts as a food but that the Apaches were particularly fond of this nut.  They ate the nuts fresh and raw and added them to a variety of dishes, especially soup and baked goods. A mash was made of nuts to flavor water and other beverages particularly in the southwest where the nuts were mixed with agave pulp.

Did You Know...

In Native American lore, it was used as a talking stick along with pecan that represented the gathering of energy or the beginning of new projects.
Walnut husks contain a high amount of Niethammer, 56 and were used as a dark brown dye.


American Pioneers used black walnut extract as an astringent, a laxative, a vermifuge -- and as a treatment for scorpion bites.


The black walnut is allelopathic, meaning that it produces a chemical called juglone that oxidizes in soil and prevents certain kinds of other plants from growing under or near it.


Black walnut shells showed up in fairytales; Thumbelina lived in a walnut shell, so did Tom Thumb.