Herb Directory
Black Walnut
Alternative Name:
Juglans nigra
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) has a fascinating history dating back thousands of years. Native American Indians enjoyed its pleasures and health benefits well before European explorers arrived. Archeological evidence in the upper Great Lakes region dates walnut consumption back to 2000 BCE.
The walnut tree’s formal botanical name, Juglans regia, comes from the Romans. Interestingly, the walnut shell’s appearance led to the Afghanistani word for walnut: charmarghz, meaning “four brains.”
Mesopotamia, now modern Iraq, boasted walnut groves in the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon around 2000 BCE. In Europe, walnuts were prized as both food and currency. Today, black walnut remains a cherished tree with historical significance.
Products that use this herb
