Walnut Identity card

Scientific name: Juglans

Classification: Juglandaceae family

Number of species: 60

US walnut

Scientific name: Juglans Nigra

Other name: Black walnut

Density: 0,50 to 0,70

Wood characteristics: Gray, purple to purplish wood. The heart is generally very veined. Very distinct sapwood. Coarse grain. Straight grain, sometimes wavy or brittle.

Common walnut

Scientific name: Juglans Regia

Maximum tree height: 30 m

Maximum tree diameter: 15 m

Density: 0,55 to 0,75

Wood characteristics: Sapwood color from yellow to tawny gray. Heartwood color of gray or brown. Often irregular grain, medium grain, semi-homogeneous structure. Very often figured. Semi-hard, semi-heavy wood.

Mechanical properties: Wood moderately resistant in compression, poor in traction, fairly resistant in bending. White walnut trees are more elastic and more resilient than black heart walnut trees. Little fissile and moderately adherent. 

Technological properties: Machining, shaping and finishing without difficulty. During sawing, high proportion of defective wood. Walnut is mostly sliced ​​for veneer. Takes a nice polish, waxes and varnishes very well. Use in massive rather expensive. Rather fast drying. Rough wood and burls quite common. Bends after steaming.