Black walnut...what are these?

[Brad_bb]

So I have a row of black walnut that I transplanted from my yard tree to the back of the farm.  When they started leafing out this year, some had these cone shaped thingies on them.  What are they?  You can see that they come out alone along a branch, whereas the leafing begins at the end of the branches.  Are these flowers or immature nuts?
 

 

[OneWithWood]

I suspect that is not a black walnut.  Looks like some kind of alien black cherry.

[Brad_bb]

No, it is Black walnut.  I've transplanted many of them from my yard tree.  A number of them had these things on them this spring.  Maybe they did other years and I just never noticed.  No question, it's Black Walnut.  The bark changes to the typical alligator look When it gets to 2+ inches in diameter.  the lower portion of this tree's bark is already doing it.

[Ron Scott]

They are catkins that grow in the spring for pollination.

[Brad_bb]

Thanks Ron!  I suspected it was for pollination but no idea what it would be called.

[Kbeitz]

Only on male trees...

[WDH]

Black walnut is monoecious.  Has both male and female flowers on same plant.  They don't mature at the same time so that the plant does not self-pollinate.

[Jim1611]

The best way to identify a black walnut tree is to rub the leaves. They have a distinctive smell to them.

[Okrafarmer]

Once the bark is alligatoring, I find that you can always tell walnut by crumbling off a tiny piece of bark and looking at it. First, the piece of bark will crumble off very easily in your hand. Second. The fresh side where it broke off will always be dark chocolate brown.

[WDH]

And, the inner bark will be a bright sulfur yellow. 

[OneWithWood]

Be sure to look at multiple clues.  One of the hickories (pignut, I think) has a bark that will be chocolate brown where it breaks from the tree and black oak has a distinctive yellow layer adjacent to the cambium.

[Okrafarmer]

Be sure to look at multiple clues.  One of the hickories (pignut, I think) has a bark that will be chocolate brown where it breaks from the tree and black oak has a distinctive yellow layer adjacent to the cambium.

Yes, but pignut bark does not break off easily.

[Al_Smith]

Pig nut is often referred to as smooth bark .A local mill told be it makes the best lumber of the local hickories.

Fact I just got through splitting about a cord and a half from a rather large smooth bark that had the top blown out of it .I saved the logs for lumber .

[Okrafarmer]

Pig nut is often referred to as smooth bark .A local mill told be it makes the best lumber of the local hickories.

Fact I just got through splitting about a cord and a half from a rather large smooth bark that had the top blown out of it .I saved the logs for lumber .

Don't save them long-- hickory rots fast! Although, where you are, you should be fine over winter I suppose.

[OneWithWood]

The tree I referred to as pignut has a bark that is blocky and similar in appearance to some walnuts, definitely not smooth, so it is probably one of the other hickories.  Definitely not shell bark or shag bark, so maybe mockernut?  I do have a number of smooth bark hickories.

[Al_Smith]

We're on the same page,same bark .

Some logs can take weather,some cannot .Sugar maple ,hickory,black cherry ,walnut,red oak do not .White oak,ash ,black locust ,osage orange do .

Fact in 1983-4 I cut into a cull log left from a cut from the late 30-early 40's white oak .The outside 3 inches had rot  the inside was nice as can be  .

[Okrafarmer]

We're on the same page,same bark .

Some logs can take weather,some cannot .Sugar maple ,hickory,black cherry ,walnut,red oak do not .White oak,ash ,black locust ,osage orange do .

Fact in 1983-4 I cut into a cull log left from a cut from the late 30-early 40's white oak .The outside 3 inches had rot  the inside was nice as can be  .

  I've always felt walnut logs do pretty well hanging around outside waiting to be milled. I have some waiting on me right now. . . .

[WDH]

I am waiting on the walnut logs that I don't have.  They are not waiting on me  . 

[Al_Smith]

I'm going to have to "stand corrected " on that walnut .As it was I had several  logs ,small short, 8-9  feet 12 " or so .Enough for at best 100 BDF .They were cribbed off the ground .I can't remember how long from cut to mill,maybe two years .They cut not too bad but had some rot,the white oak very little as the ash,sap wood for the most part .All of it has been stickered and air dried the best part of 15 yeas inside .I still haven't done a thing with that walnut .