Who sells black walnuts?
January 8, 2012 1:03 PM Subscribe
Where can I get black walnuts in the SF Bay Area?
Used to see 'em in cans at the supermarket, but that was long ago. I think the last time I had any was when a friend gave me a bag from his tree, so I'm aware of the difficulties involved with DIY shelling. Would like to just buy some, shelled, over the counter, but where? (I realize sites like nuts.com will mail some to me, for $14 a pound.) Or maybe, you know of trees somewhere I could discreetly harvest from? I heard they're grown commercially in California but I just asked at the farmers market, at a booth that sold walnuts and almonds, but they said they only use 'em for grafting English walnut onto.
Note this question doesn't concern the common Persian or English walnut, only the Eastern Black Walnut, juglans nigra, native to North America.
Used to see 'em in cans at the supermarket, but that was long ago. I think the last time I had any was when a friend gave me a bag from his tree, so I'm aware of the difficulties involved with DIY shelling. Would like to just buy some, shelled, over the counter, but where? (I realize sites like nuts.com will mail some to me, for $14 a pound.) Or maybe, you know of trees somewhere I could discreetly harvest from? I heard they're grown commercially in California but I just asked at the farmers market, at a booth that sold walnuts and almonds, but they said they only use 'em for grafting English walnut onto.
Note this question doesn't concern the common Persian or English walnut, only the Eastern Black Walnut, juglans nigra, native to North America.
Best answer: When I lived in Morgan Hill, there were sections of the outskirts of town that were lined with Black Walnut trees and I remember getting bags of them at the local farmer's market. Allegedly Sigona's in Palo Alto carries them, but you'd probably have to call ahead to make sure.
posted by plinth at 2:04 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by plinth at 2:04 PM on January 8, 2012
I think if there are going to be any available from farmer's markets it would be during the season, which is October. It's unlikely you'll find any walnuts of any kind on trees right now, even if you could somehow locate a true Juglans nigra around here.
The growers that you talked to that said that black walnuts were used as grafting rootstock were talking about the California black walnut, Juglans hindsii; and in most cases rootstock is actually from a hybrid of California black and English ("Paradox" rootstock, developed by Walter Burbank). Juglans nigra starts out very slow growing in California especially compared to our native walnut, so it is not considered worthwhile for rootstock. It's not grown commercially here as far as I know, and the few pure trees in this state must be very, very old as it hybridizes easily with any other walnut. Even in the east, commercial production is mainly from forest stands, not orchards. The trees are not allowed for import into the state by home orchardists because of TCD and other diseases. If black walnuts are showing up in farmer's markets around here they are most likely California black, or some rare and wonderful secret source. I know Blue Diamond's site says they are also grown in California, but I can find no evidence of that on any agricultural website. Plenty of websites confusing the California black with the eastern, however.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:10 PM on January 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
The growers that you talked to that said that black walnuts were used as grafting rootstock were talking about the California black walnut, Juglans hindsii; and in most cases rootstock is actually from a hybrid of California black and English ("Paradox" rootstock, developed by Walter Burbank). Juglans nigra starts out very slow growing in California especially compared to our native walnut, so it is not considered worthwhile for rootstock. It's not grown commercially here as far as I know, and the few pure trees in this state must be very, very old as it hybridizes easily with any other walnut. Even in the east, commercial production is mainly from forest stands, not orchards. The trees are not allowed for import into the state by home orchardists because of TCD and other diseases. If black walnuts are showing up in farmer's markets around here they are most likely California black, or some rare and wonderful secret source. I know Blue Diamond's site says they are also grown in California, but I can find no evidence of that on any agricultural website. Plenty of websites confusing the California black with the eastern, however.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:10 PM on January 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Found 'em at Sigona's Palo Alto, thanks for the tip!
But they only had a few 4-oz packages left; I think they're only available now during the holiday season, like the cheap hazelnuts at Trader Joes.
posted by Rash at 8:15 AM on January 13, 2012
But they only had a few 4-oz packages left; I think they're only available now during the holiday season, like the cheap hazelnuts at Trader Joes.
posted by Rash at 8:15 AM on January 13, 2012
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posted by brainmouse at 1:18 PM on January 8, 2012