Butternut
The butternut is the hardiest of the walnut species, growing widely across Eastern North America from New Brunswick in the east to Minnesota in the west and southward to northern Georgia. All of our grafted butternuts have been DNA tested to be true butternut so none are hybrids. The nut is egg shaped with a very rough hard shell. The nut meat is buttery and mild flavored but often difficult to extract. Our grafted selections are chosen for the ease of extracting the nut meat. They are grafted on black walnut rootstocks for best performance. Our seedlings are grown from these improved selections. The Duke Nut Cracker is the best tool for cracking these nuts.
The butternut is on the endangered list because of an Asian fungus called butternut canker disease that has wiped out most of the native trees. None of our selections have proven resistance even though some of the trees are almost 50 years old. Efforts are being made to bring together native trees that are resistant to sustain the species. This is enough reason to plant this species to maintain genetic diversity. Tree size can range from 10-15 m (40 ft) in height and spread.
We grow our seedling butternuts from our best selections. This improves the chances of getting a good cracking butternut. Suited for climate zones 4-8.
'Beckwith' from New York State and is our most regular bearer. The medium size nut cracks out halves that extract easily from the shell. It is a late pollinizer so should be matched with an early pollinizer. Suited for climate zones 5-8.
'Bear Creek' from Iowa is very healthy productive tree with a tendency to biennial bear. The nut is medium size and the meat comes out in halves. It is an early pollinizer and should be matched with a late pollinizer. Suited for climate zones 5-8.
'Iroquois CA' from Iroquois Conservation Authority property in Ontario. It was originally selected for butternut canker resistance not nut qualities. However there are no known fully resistant butternut trees. It is a late pollinizer so should be matched with an early pollinizer. Suited for climate zones 5-8.
'Kenworthy', from Minnesota is moderately productive. The nut is very large, unusual for a butternut. It is fairly good cracking. It is an early pollinizer so should be matched with a late pollinizer. Suited for climate zones 5-8.
