Hybrid Butternut Seedlings (Juglans cinerea hybrid)

Hybrid butternut trees are complex hybrids between pure butternut (J. cinerea) and usually Japanese walnut (J. ailantifolia). In many cases hybrids look and function very similarly to pure butternut (so much so that getting a positive ID between two is often very difficult). Hybrid butternuts are often resistant to butternut canker that has been killing off pure butternut throughout its native range. Because of this, many folks (including myself) embrace hybrids as a viable replacement for pure butternut. 

The edible nuts are very difficult to extract from the hard shell, but taste wonderful having a mild, buttery (hence the name) flavor. The hulls can impart an unpleasant taste to the nuts if not removed promptly after harvesting (I can personally attest to this) so be sure to process your harvest right away. Not surprisingly, the nuts have a very high oil content and could be pressed for a nice nut oil. Butternut has been traditionally used medicinally, for dye making and also tapped for syrup making.

Hybrids tend to grow vigorously. We have had seedlings grow several feet in their first year. Mature trees are large, growing 50-70 feet tall and in mast years are incredibly productive. Collecting the sticky, green nuts from under these beautiful trees is a lot of fun and it's easy to gather more than you could possibly use. These trees need full sun and prefer deep, fertile and well drained soil. Like all walnuts, hybrid butternuts are technically self fertile, but will produce much larger crops when planted near other seedlings. Our nursery offers bare root seedlings grown from mature, local parent trees. They are 18-24” tall. Hardy to zone 5 and likely much colder.

This species cannot be shipped to: AZ, CA, KS, TX.