Western Chokecherry vs Black Walnut - TreeTime.ca

Western Chokecherry vs Black Walnut

Prunus virginiana var. demissa

Juglans nigra

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Western Chokecherry
Black Walnut

Western Chokecherry is a shrub or small tree commonly used for farmstead and field windbreaks.

It produces white flowers in the spring and edible dark purple fruit that matures between September and October. Its cherries are great for making for making jams, jellies or wine, but are not very palatable for raw eating.

The Black Walnut is a slow growing, large, straight-stemmed tree with an open crown. It produces dense, very hard, edible nuts.

Black Walnut has a deeply-furrowed, black bark. Its leaves are about 1 foot long, composed of 15 - 23 slightly stalked leaflets on a moderately stout stock which provide good dappled shade.

Despite being highly valued for its edible nuts and its shade tree aesthetics, it is rare to see this tree on the prairies.

Note: Black Walnut's roots produce a substance named juglone that is toxic to some other plants. Consider this when choosing where you plant a black walnut, as you will not be able to grow tomato, potato, cabbage, eggplant, blueberry, azalea, rhododendron, lilac, red pine and apple in the surrounding area.

Note: Plant this tree once. It will not respond well to transplanting.

Note: Although self-pollinating, planting two trees significantly improves nut production.

A top CO2 absorbing species. Experts think this tree may help climate change more than others.

Western Chokecherry Quick Facts

Black Walnut Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 7 m (23 ft)
Height: 14 m (45 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: reddish-purple
Berries: edible, astringent, red-purple
Nuts: corrugated nut with edible meat
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: long
Suckering: low
Suckering: low



Toxicity: toxic to horses, cattle, etc.)

Other Names: bitter-berry, chokecherry, common chokecherry, virginia bird berry
Other Names: american walnut