Some facts about the Little Walnut (Juglans microcarpa):
Size and Appearance:
--Small tree or shrub, typically reaching 20-30 feet tall, but can grow up to 50 feet in ideal conditions.
--Single or multiple trunks with spreading low branches, forming a broad, rounded crown.
--Pinnately compound leaves, 9-12 inches long, with 11-25 narrow leaflets with serrated edges (small teeth).
--Yellow-green leaves with a dull upper surface and paler underside.
--Gray to dark brown bark that becomes deeply fissured with age.
--Young trees have smooth, silvery-gray bark.
Habitat and Range:
--Native to the southwestern and central United States and northern Mexico.
--Found in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arizona.
--Grows wild along streams, ravines, and areas with access to shallow water.
--Thrives in hot and dry climates, drought tolerant due to a long taproot.
Flowers and Fruit:
--Monoecious, meaning one tree has both male and female flowers (separate blooms).
--Male flowers are slender catkins that appear in May on the previous year's growth.
--Female flowers are yellow-green and solitary or clustered on current year's growth.
--Produces the smallest nuts of all walnut species, ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 inches in diameter.
--Nuts are hard, dark brown, and covered by a thick fibrous husk.
--Nuts mature in October and contain edible seeds.
Other Interesting Facts:
--The name "Juglans microcarpa" comes from Latin: "Juglans" meaning Jupiter's acorn and "microcarpa" meaning having small fruit.
--Can hybridize with other walnut species like Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) where their ranges overlap.
--Provides food and habitat for wildlife like squirrels, birds, and small mammals.
--Considered a heat-tolerant and drought-resistant landscape plant in suitable regions.
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