Black Walnut vs Swamp White Oak

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.

The Swamp White Oak is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to North America. It is commonly found in swamps, lowlands, floodplains, and near streams and lakes. The leaves are two-toned, green on top and silvery-white on the undersides, adding to the visual appeal of this popular shade tree.

In the fall, the Swamp White Oak produces acorns which are an important food source for wildlife. It also provides a habitat for the larvae of many butterfly and moth species, playing an important ecological role. Although its growth is slow in the first few years, once the roots are established, it can achieve faster annual growth.

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