Butternut

Butternut may refer to:

In geography

Juglans cinerea

Juglans cinerea, commonly known as butternut or white walnut, is a species of walnut native to the eastern United States and southeast Canada.

Distribution

The distribution range of J. cinerea extends east to New Brunswick, and from southern Quebec west to Minnesota, south to northern Alabama and southwest to northern Arkansas. It is absent from most of the Southern United States. The species also proliferates at middle elevations (+/-2000 ft above sea level) in the Columbia River basin, Pacific Northwest; as an off-site species. With 7 ft (over mature) class range diameter at breast height noted in the Imnaha River drainage as late as January 26, 2015.

Description

J. cinerea is a deciduous tree growing to 20 m (66 ft) tall, rarely 40 m (130 ft). Butternut is a slow-growing species, and rarely lives longer than 75 years. It has a 40–80 cm stem diameter, with light gray bark.

The leaves are pinnate, 40–70 cm long, with 11–17 leaflets, each leaflet 5–10 cm long and 3–5 cm broad. The whole leaf is downy-pubescent, and a somewhat brighter, yellower green than many other tree leaves.