tree

Heartnut

Juglans ailantifolia

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Heartnut (Juglans ailantifolia) — a tree, for Full sun, Medium water.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Watermedium to high

↑ Gives back

Biomasshigh
Shadedense

Keep apart from

Through the year

Emergence

Bud break and leaf emergence typically occur after the last spring frost and when air temperatures consistently rise above 100C.

Flowering

Flowering occurs shortly after leaf emergence, usually within two to three weeks.

Fruiting

Fruit development follows flowering, with nuts maturing over the summer months.

Harvest

Nuts are typically ready for harvest in late September to October, often after the first light frosts which help with hull splitting.

Senescence

Leaves begin to senesce and drop with the onset of shorter days and the first autumn frosts.

Dormancy

The tree enters dormancy after leaf drop, requiring a period of cold temperatures to fulfill its chill requirement for the following spring.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalYes
Accumulatespotassium, calcium, magnesium
Soil textureloam, sandy loam, clay loam
Organic matterHigh
Compaction toleranceMedium

Propagation

Methodsseed, grafting
Difficulty2 / 5
Establishes in~3 yr
Stratificationcold_moist
Self-seedingLight
Divisionnot_applicable

Wildlife & pests

Can host pestswalnut husk fly, codling moth
Can host diseaseswalnut blight, anthracnose