Butternut

Juglans cinerea, commonly known as butternut or white walnut, is a deciduous tree native to eastern North America. Here's an overview of this tree:

1. Appearance: Butternut trees typically grow to 50-60 feet (15-18 meters) tall, with a spread of 30-40 feet (9-12 meters). They have a broad, rounded crown and a straight trunk. The bark is light gray and smooth when young, becoming furrowed and darker with age.

2. Leaves: The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, and typically have 11-17 leaflets. Each leaflet is ovate-lanceolate with serrated edges, and they are light green in color, turning yellow in the fall.

3. Flowers: Butternut trees are monoecious, meaning they have separate male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers are catkins, while the female flowers are small and inconspicuous.

4. Fruit: The fruit of butternut trees is a nut enclosed in a green, sticky husk that splits open when ripe. The nut is elongated, with a rough, corrugated shell and a sweet, oily kernel that is edible and highly valued by wildlife and humans alike.

5. Habitat: Butternut trees are typically found in moist, well-drained soils in mixed hardwood forests, along streams, and in bottomlands throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.

6. Wood: The wood of butternut trees is light, soft, and easily worked, making it prized for furniture, cabinetry, and carving. It has a pale color with darker streaks and is sometimes referred to as "white walnut."

7. Ecological Importance: Butternut trees provide food and habitat for a variety of wildlife. Squirrels, chipmunks, and birds feed on the nuts, while deer browse on the leaves and twigs.

8. Cultural Uses: Historically, indigenous peoples and early settlers used various parts of the butternut tree for medicinal purposes. The nuts were also an important food source.

9. Challenges: Butternut trees are currently facing threats from a fungal disease called butternut canker (Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum), which has devastated populations throughout their range. Conservation efforts are underway to preserve and restore butternut trees.

In summary, Juglans cinerea, or butternut, is a valuable and charismatic tree in eastern North America, known for its edible nuts, attractive wood, and ecological importance. Despite challenges from disease, efforts are ongoing to protect and conserve this species for future generations.