Heartnut
The heartnut is a seed sport of the Japanese walnut. Rather than the normal egg-shaped Japanese walnut shell, the heartnut is a flattened heart-shpaed nut that readily splits in two halves. When rapped on the edge, it opens like a locket, easily releasing the kernel. All of our selections have rated highly for cracking quality, nut quality and productiveness. The heart shape with the good cracking quality may not come true in the seedlings as it does in the grafted trees. Heartnuts are generally hardier and walnut blight resistant than northern (Persian) walnuts and have great commercial potential in the Great Lakes fruit growing region, a climate similar to its native Japan. If only two grafted cultivars are desired, be sure to order an early pollinizer to match with a late pollinizer for best cross pollinization. Go to FAQ for commercial growing information. Winter protect grafted area of the tree for the first 2-3 years in the colder zones of 5b-6a. Seedling trees are suited for zones 5a-7. Tree size can range from 10-15 m (40 ft) in height and spread .
We grow our seedling heartnuts from our best selections. This improves the chances of getting a good cracking heartnut. Suited for climate zones 5b-8.
'Imshu' is grafted on heartnut rootstock and is a heavy producer of medium sized nuts. With careful cracking, Imshu will crack out whole meats that drop out of the shell freely. It is receptive before it sheds pollen, (protogynous) so it is best matched with an early pollen producer like 'Campbell CW1', 'Stealth', 'Ernie'. Nuts ripen and begin dropping in the last week of September. Suited for climate zones 6-8.
'Campbell CW1'is grafted onto heartnut rootstock and is a heavy producer of medium sized nuts.The nuts will crack out a mixture of halves and whole meats that drop out of the shell freely. It is an early pollen producer, so it is best matched with an early female flower producer. Nuts ripen and begin dropping in the last week of September. Suited for climate zones 6-8.
'Campbell CW3' is grafted on heartnut rootstock and is a heavy producer of medium sized nuts. It is a more compact tree but still keeps up in production with larger more spreading trees. The nuts will crack out a mixture of halves and whole meats that drop out of the shell freely. It is an early pollinizer (female flowers are receptive before it sheds pollen), so it is best matched with one of our late pollinizers. Nuts ripen and begin dropping a week after 'Imshu'. Suited for climate zones 6-8.
'Simcoe' was selected from a planting at the Simcoe Station Experimental Farm. It is a large Valentine heart shaped nut that freely drops out a mixture of whole and half nutmeats. It is an alternate bearer on a two-three year cycle with heavy and lighter crops. This is grafted on heartnut rootstock. It produces pollen before its females are receptive (protandrous), so is best matched with one of our early receptive females like 'Imshu', 'Brernice', or 'Rose'. Nuts ripen 2 weeks after 'Imshu'. Suited for climate zones 6-8.
'Stealth' is grafted onto heartnut and is a large elongated nut and a moderate producer. The nut meat drops freely out of the shell whole. It produces pollen before its females are receptive (protandrous), so is best matched with one of our early receptive females like 'Imshu', 'Brernice', or 'Rose'. Nuts ripen 2 weeks after 'Imshu'. Suited for climate zones 6-8.
‘Stealth’ heartnut grafted on black walnut rootstock is best suited for commercial growers. Heartnut grafted on black walnut are usually more productive than heartnut on heartnut rootstock. 'Stealth' is a large elongated nut and a moderate producer. The nut meat drops freely out of the shell whole. It produces pollen before its females are receptive (protandrous), so is best matched with one of our early receptive females like 'Imshu', 'Brernice', or 'Rose'. Nuts ripen 2 weeks after 'Imshu'. Suited for climate zones 6-8.
'Rose' formerly 'Grimo 75' is grafted onto heartnut rootstock and is a small heartnut that cracks perfectly each time, releasing the kernel whole in one piece. The kernel makes a great decorate topping to salads and desserts. It is a cross of Campbell CW3 x 'Imshu'. It is protogenous, meaning that its females are receptive before it sheds pollen, like its pollen parent, 'Imshu'. It is best matched with heartnut trees that shed pollen first like 'Simcoe', Stealth', 'Ernie' other protandrous selections. Suitable for zones 6-8.
'Ernie' formerly 'Grimo 89' is grafted onto heartnut rootstock and is one of our best hand crossed selections from a set of about 150 trees in our test plot. The nut is medium size and the kernel drops out whole when cracked on its edges. It was a cross of Campbell CW3 x Simcoe and has 29% kernel. It produces pollen before its females are receptive, so it is best matched with one of our late pollen shedders including 'Bernice', 'Grimo 94', 'Imshu', 'Campbell CW1' or 'Grimo 75'. Suited for zones 6-8.
'Grimo 94' is grafted on heartnut rootstock and is a protogynous selection (female bloon occurs before the male sheds pollen) from our breeding project of over 150 trees The nut drops out of the shell in one piece, making it a wonderful garnish for salads and desserts. It is best paired with a protandrous selection like 'Ernie', 'Stealth' or 'Simcoe'. Suited for zones 6-8.
'Papple's Hope' (Grimo 99) has much potential with a smooth inner cavity that allows the kernel to be released freely in one piece. It is a cross of 'Calander' x 'Rhodes' made by Elton Papple in 2005. It is one of the highest yielding boastng 34% kernel. It produces pollen before its female flowers become receptive, so it is best matched with one of our late pollen producers including 'Grimo 94', 'Imshu', 'Campbell CW1' or 'Grimo 75'.
'Bernice' formerly 'Grimo 146' grafted onto heartnut rootstock has a nut, with a wide open cavity that allows the kernel to drop out whole. It is a cross of 'Simcoe' x 'Imshu'. It is an early pollen producer, so it is best matched with one of our late pollen producers including 'Ernie' 'Grimo 94', 'Imshu', 'Campbell CW1' or 'Grimo 75'. Suited for zones 6-8.