The roots contain juglone, an allelochemical which retards growth of competing plants under the canopy. The walnut is known for its allelleopathy. In the fall, the foliage turns a bright yellow, creating a pleasant splash of color, particularly when growing en masse.Įcologically, in addition to the butternut woolly worm, they support more than 100 species of Lepidoptera. Given sufficient room to grow, they are very beautiful trees in each season. Walnuts have not typically been a first choice in landscape design but they have an interesting strength of form, particularly in the winter months. Too, the walnut husk contains a dye that stains almost anything it comes into contact with – like cement sidewalks and asphalt. For this reason, they are probably not the best choice around parking areas as a vehicle could sustain a substantial dent should the nuts hit with sufficient force. However, walnut tree placement takes a bit of planning in the landscape as the nuts with their husks can reach 4” in diameter. Walnut trees could be planted in a highly visible area solely for the opportunity to spot these delightfully peculiar grubs. They have outbreak years when more defoliation occurs but they do not tend to pose a significant health risk to their host species. Sawflies are related to bees and wasps but don’t sting. This little oddity feeds on walnut, hickory and butternut leaves and is the larvae of a sawfly (Eriocampa juglandis). A more applicable name would be the coconut flake worm as it looks like a strange type of sugary confection with delicate, snow-white tendrils that move in the lightest breeze. Ranking near the top of the naturalist’s what-the-heck-is- that list is a very strange creature called a butternut wooly worm. These butternut wooly worm larvae were seen along the Town of Washington, VA nature path in July 2015
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