Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) Herbal Medicine

Black walnut Health Benefits, Dosage, Side effects and Warnings.

The Black Walnut or American Walnut Tree (Juglans nigra L.) is a species of flowering tree in the hickory family. Black walnut is native to eastern North America, where it grows, mostly alongside river banks, from southern Ontario, South Dakota, Northern Florida, Central Texas and even in Canada Black walnut trees are found in forests and are now also cultivated even in Europe for its high quality wood and nuts.
Black walnut has a long history of use even from ancient times as a wood source and for its delicious nuts. Black walnut is also used in traditional medicine, thought of to provide various health benefits including treatments for shingles, sores and swollen glands. Black walnut oil is also used to treat intestinal problems.

Black walnut is a deciduous tree that grows to as high as 40 meters. The black walnut bark is deeply furrowed that is grayish black in color. Black walnut leaves sheds annually but grows back alternately with about 15 to 23 leaflets. Black walnut produces male and female flowers. The female flowers that bloom in clusters of two to five forms into a walnut fruit during autumn. Black walnut fruit is brownish green in color with fleshy husk and brown nut. Black walnut seeds are relatively small and hard.

Black walnut seeds are pressed to extract black walnut oil. While the black walnut nutmeats are used in food preparation, the walnut shells are used for commercial application in cosmetics, filtration, industrial drilling, dyes and abrasives.