Juglans sigillata seed

LATIN NAME: Juglans sigillata

COMMON NAME: Iron Walnut

In the warm hills of the south-western China, the iron walnut is the nut tree of the region. It grows as a tall, deciduous tree, reaching up to thirty metres or more, with the fine, large, pinnate leaves of the many oval leaflets and the smooth, grey bark, and through the late spring it puts out its small, greenish catkins, followed by the round, green fruits that hold the thick-shelled, oily nuts. The old trees develop a tall, clear trunk and a wide, leafy crown, and in the autumn the whole tree turns a soft gold before it drops its leaves. It is a species of the flowering tree in the walnut family, native to the warm hills of the south-western China, while it is treasured for its fine, oily nuts, and it is known as the iron walnut.

The iron walnut belongs to the walnut family, Juglandaceae, and it is a tall, deciduous tree of the warm hills of the south-western China, while it is treasured for its fine, oily nuts, and it is known as the iron walnut. It takes its name from its thick, hard shell, which protects a richly flavoured kernel. It is prized for its fine, oily, richly flavoured nuts.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The iron walnut has earned its place in the research through its nuts and its hardiness. The fine, oily kernels have been studied for their rich oils and their food value, and the tree has been written about in the food and botanical papers as a fine nut tree of the warm hills, while its tough, adaptable ways have made it a subject of the walnut breeding and the orchard research. The chemistry of the walnut oils has kept the interest of the researchers, and the tree’s role in the warm-hill orchards of the region has been looked at. Its thick shell has been studied as a protection for the kernel, and its tough, adaptable growth has made it a valued tree of the warm hills. For a nut tree with such a fine kernel, the iron walnut has a rich and continuing record of study.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

For the orchard and the garden, the iron walnut gives a fine return. Its small, greenish catkins feed the many insects, and its fine, oily nuts feed the birds, the small creatures and the people of the region, while its tall, leafy crown gives a fine shade. Its oily, richly flavoured nuts have long been a valued food of the warm hills, and its hard, tough wood has been used in the fine building. The broad, leafy crown makes a fine shade tree for the warm garden, and the autumn gold of the leaves is a quiet pleasure. The iron walnut is a rewarding tree for the grower, and for the warm-hill gardener it brings an oily-nutted, leafy shade tree. The nuts are best sown fresh in the autumn — press them into pots of rich, free-draining soil and leave the pots outdoors through the winter, keep them moist in a bright, sheltered spot the following spring, and they’ll be up before long.