- Black Walnut
Russian proverb: ~ A dog, a wife, and a walnut tree: the more you beat them, the better they be. ~
This native North American nut tree was first introduced into Europe in 1629 where it was cultivated for its high quality wood. It is dense and heavy, easily worked, and does not warp, shrink or swell much. It is used in cabinet making, the interior finishes of houses, furniture, airplanes, ship building, veneer etc.
The nut is totally edible, but the flavor is stronger and more intense than the English Walnut (Juglans regia). Black Walnuts are used in desserts, salads, fudge, cookies, and meat dishes.
Almost all parts of the walnut are used for something medicinally:
Bark: Chewing to relieve toothache
Infusion of Bark: Treats diarrhea
Fruit Husk Juice: Applied externally to treat ringworm
Oil from ripe Seeds: to treat gangrene, leprosy, and wounds
Bark and Leaves: Esp. useful in the treatment of skin diseases, herpes, and
eczema
The Burnt Nut Kernels: Taken in wine for baldness
The Husk: Chewed for colic, and applied as poultice for inflammations
The Leaves: A tea made from the leaves is astringent and has been used to lower
high blood pressure. The infusion can be used as a cleansing wash. The
dried, and powdered leaves have been rubbed on ringworm to kill it.
The husks, nuts, and bark produce a brown dye without need of a mordant. If the dye is prepared in an iron pot the dye becomes black! A Brown dye is obtained from the leaves and stems, while the green husks provide a yellow color upon boiling.
Walnut Hull Basket Dye:
Walnut hulls makes a brown basket dye. Boil the crushed hulls in a stocking or other mesh holder, then let cool and soak overnight. Immerse your basket in the dye liquor – the longer the immersion, the darker the stain. The stain can also be painted or sprayed. The hulls are reusable and will make more than one batch of dye.
