Walnut is an excellent crop, the fruits of which can be used in a wide variety of areas. There are even technical grades from which oil is made for industrial needs. But they are most widely used in cooking. There is a wide variety of nut-bearing plants growing in different climatic zones of the globe. Russian amateur gardeners can also grow several types of these trees, adapted for survival and fruiting not only in the southern and central regions, but also in the northern latitudes of our country.
Botanical features
The small flowers of the nut are greenish in color, and in their place fruits are formed, covered with a thick green peel. At the moment of ripening, the peel dries, bursts and separates from the fruit. The fruit itself is a woody shell, inside of which there is a kernel that is used as food.
The walnut root system secretes a specific chemical that slows down the development of other vegetation. That is why there are so few plants near this tree.
Classification
A nut is the fruit of plants, usually trees and shrubs, with a kernel (edible or not) and a hard shell. Botanists distinguish a whole family of Nutaceae, which look like nuts, but in botany they are not. Also, a fruit that is not a nut is sometimes called a nut, for example, peanuts are a member of the legume family.
Depending on the types of plants, you can find out what types of nuts there are, so the main varieties are representatives of the family:
- Nuts - walnut, black, gray, Manchurian, hazelnut and bitter nuts;
- Birch - hazelnuts, hazel;
- Beech - chestnut, plane tree, acorn;
- Pink - almonds,
- Sumacaceae – cashew, pistachio;
- Derbennikovye - rogulnik;
- Legumes – peanuts, fenugreek;
- Lecithis - paradise and Brazil nuts;
- Proteaceae – macadamia, gevuina;
- Palms - coconut, Seychelles and king nuts;
- Pine – pine nut, piniolia,
- Araliaceae – white walnut.
As you can see from the list, there are many types of nuts and everyone can choose a nut to their taste - large or small, sweet or bitter.
Landing specifics
Its successful development and further fruiting depend on when to plant a walnut. It is not recommended to plant in the fall, as immature seedlings may die from winter frosts. The optimal time for planting is mid-spring.
As a zone for planting nuts, you should choose a sunny place on the site. The only requirement for the soil is looseness, which will ensure water permeability and aeration.
Planting consists of several steps:
- first you need to prepare a hole measuring 50 by 50 centimeters;
- Having placed the seedling in a hole, you need to straighten the root system and bury the hole;
- Next you need to compact and water the soil in the hole.
The first fruiting will occur 3-4 years after planting.
Scope of application
High mechanical properties and noble appearance have provided walnut wood with a wide range of uses - furniture making, carpentry production, turning products, natural floor coverings.
In the parquet world, the most common walnut is American, from which they produce:
- Parquet board - has a three-layer structure, where coniferous wood is used as a balancing and main layer, and the outer layer is represented by walnut veneer, 3-4 mm thick. The boards are laid using a locking system, but adhesive installation options are also being considered.
- Engineered board - similar in design to parquet, but there are options when multi-layer birch plywood is covered with walnut veneer. The planks are connected to each other through a tongue-and-groove system, after which they are glued to the base of the floor or screed.
- Solid boards are the most expensive type of product due to the high level of sampling. The product is a solid solid wood, 15-20 mm thick, and installation is carried out using the adhesive method.
- Block parquet is a small-sized plank made from solid walnut. The difference from a solid board is not only in the size of the boards, but also in appearance. Parquet is sold untreated with external protective agents, so it is treated with oil or varnish after flooring.
- Skirting boards. There are two types of skirting boards on the market, differing in design. The first type is a product made from solid wood. The second, most common and affordable, is veneered plinth: walnut veneer is applied to a base made of solid coniferous wood.
It is worth noting that walnut floors varnished or oiled look more advantageous and rich compared to oak or ash. Despite its resistance to ultraviolet radiation, the color of the flooring changes over time. Areas of the floor exposed to direct sunlight begin to lighten, while areas without natural light acquire deeper shades. The oil coating on parquet flooring can be periodically renewed to add shine to the floor and protect the boards from scratches.
Nuances of care
Planting and caring for walnuts does not require much effort or special knowledge, so the tree is not whimsical. There are several simple actions that you can perform to get the desired results:
- watering the nut is carried out as the top layer of soil dries out at the rate of thirty liters of water per square meter of soil in the hole;
- It is recommended to fertilize walnuts twice a year. In the spring, fertilizing occurs using potassium fertilizers, and in the fall, phosphorus fertilizers;
- the formation of the tree in the future will depend on how to trim the walnut.
It is very important to care for a walnut seedling by laying the first branches of the skeletal layer. It is necessary to leave four branches in different directions of growth at an angle of forty-five degrees. Young shoots are also removed. In the future, only sanitary pruning of the walnut will be necessary.
Although there are cold-resistant walnut varieties, it is recommended to protect the tree in extreme frosts. To do this, you need to wrap the root collar and trunk of the nut with any covering material. You can use burlap, linoleum or roofing felt.
The base of the tree can be protected with fallen leaves or sawdust. These procedures will help the walnut survive any severe frosts and ensure its effective development and fruiting.
Pistachios
Iran and Syria are considered the birthplace of pistachios. Pistachio fruits most often grow on bushes. The lifespan of a pistachio tree can be 1000 years. When the pistachio ripens, a click occurs, which opens it and you can see the light green kernel.
Possible breeding options
Walnut propagation is possible in three ways:
Seeds - you must first soak the seeds in water for three days. It is advisable to add a growth preparation to the water. Walnuts are planted by mid-spring.
The depth of the hole should not exceed 10 centimeters, and the nut must be placed in the hole on its edge. With this method, growth takes a long time, but the quality of the new tree may exceed the quality of the tree from which the nut was collected.
Vegetation – tree propagation is possible using ground shoots. With this option, growth will occur much faster than with sowing and fruiting will occur within 3 years. Planting of such shoots also occurs in mid-spring.
By grafting - two-year-old seedlings are used as the plant to which grafting is carried out. It is best to graft in March and plant in open ground in May.
Exotic edible nuts
Along with the usual peanuts, cashews, and pine nuts, there are also exotic ones. Most of our compatriots have not even heard of these names, here are the exotic nuts:
- water,
- chestnut,
- cola,
- pine trees,
- Manchurian,
- chufa,
- Seychelles,
- drank,
- kukui.
water chestnut
It also has other names - rogulnik or Chilim floating. Rogulnik is widespread in Europe and Asia; moreover, even 150 years ago in the Russian Empire they were sold by the cartload.
Chilim can be eaten raw, adding it to salads, or baked like chestnuts. It has white, juicy flesh that is slightly crunchy. Another advantage is its low calorie content - only 200 kcal and high content of vitamin C.
Chilim is extremely popular in Asia, where it is used in folk medicine, especially in Tibet.
More about chilim
Chestnut
Of the 30 varieties of chestnuts, the most valuable are the common chestnut and the Christmas chestnut. Chestnut is a fairly large nut - it can reach 3-5 cm in diameter.
The nutritional value of round chestnut is only 166 kcal, but this allows it to contain huge amounts of vitamin A and C, tannins and glycosides. By consuming them, blood viscosity decreases, capillary walls are strengthened, blood pressure decreases, and has an analgesic effect.
More about chestnut
Cola
A rare nut for our country, it can only be found in specialized stores. It is to this nut that we owe the famous brand called Coca-Cola. True, nut syrup was originally used as a cure for fatigue, depression and toothache. It is not known whether this syrup is in the drink today.
Nuts can be consumed raw or roasted, and they are also added to chocolate and energy drinks. Studies have shown that it is enough to eat just 3 nuts and you will not want to eat for 7 hours, which is extremely useful for people watching their body weight.
Pinia
These small nuts are the seeds of the Italian pine tree, and are found in cones similar to pine nuts. The nuts are oblong in shape, brown in color with small light spots. The shell of this small nut is slightly stronger than that of pine nuts, which is why it is more difficult to shell them.
Pinias are classified as high-calorie nuts - 630 kcal; they also contain a complex of vitamins B, E, C, cobalt, manganese, potassium and zinc. They have amazing properties: nut powder can heal wounds, strengthen gums and teeth. With regular consumption of these small nuts, the functioning of the kidneys and liver is normalized, and there is a diuretic effect.
However, this nut should be consumed with caution - if you eat too much, a violation of taste perception may occur due to irritation of the mucous membrane and taste buds of the tongue; symptoms may persist for several days.
Manchurian walnut
It is distributed in the Far East, China, Taiwan and Korea. It is a close “relative” of the pecan, which it resembles. In Russia, it is widely used for landscaping villages, and furniture is made from wood. Manchurian walnut belongs to the Walnut family.
It is used in cooking and oil is also extracted from it. It is the leader in linoleic acid content, only corn oil contains more, and it also contains a large amount of vitamin E. Nuts also contain a large amount of iodine, which makes it extremely beneficial for the thyroid gland.
Read more about Manchurian nut
Chufa
Chufa is also called earth almond, its homeland is the Mediterranean and northern Africa. It has a pleasant taste and high nutritional value - 25% fat and 26% sugar.
You can eat them either raw or lightly fried, but before eating, due to their particular hardness, the nuts should be soaked in water. In Africa, chufa is used to prepare halva, and the crushed form is used as a kitchen drink.
More about chufu
Seychelles nut
One of the largest and rarest nuts on earth, its homeland is the Seychelles. The fruit is a symbol of the islands, so local authorities keep a constant record of each tree.
The nut is also called sea coconut. The height of palm trees reaches 30 m; from one tree you can collect no more than 70 fruits, weighing from 10 to 25 kg. The fruits ripen for about 7 years.
It has unique properties, moreover, it is an aphrodisiac, largely due to its appearance - the shape of the nut resembles a woman’s buttocks.
Calorie content is 350 kcal, it contains a huge amount of amino acids, proteins and vitamins, which allows the nut to some extent replace meat.
Read more about Seychelles nut
Drank
Pili is completely unknown in the world, and grows only in Southeast Asia, also known as Philippine canarium.
Pili are valued by nutritionists around the world because of their nutritional value - 74% fat and 11.5% protein, also containing a large amount of phosphorus and calcium, and a whole list of vitamins.
Studies have shown that pili effectively fights breast cancer, as it is able to block the gene responsible for the development of cancer cells.
The taste of raw pili resembles roasted pumpkin seeds, and after roasting it resembles almonds.
More information about pili (canarium)
Kukui nut
This round nut is extremely popular in Africa and Asia and for a long time was not known at all in Russia. The nut is large, can reach 6 cm in diameter
Kukui pulp can be eaten only after pre-processing, and if eaten raw, you can get an eating disorder.
Kukui oil has many beneficial properties; it contains many unsaturated fatty acids - linoleic acid - 45% and vitamins. In addition to eating, it is used to lubricate wounds and burns, and is also used to treat psoriasis and eczema.
Harvest
In addition to ripened fruits, green nuts are collected. The skin of these nuts is soft and is pierced with a needle to check if it is ready for harvesting. If juice comes out from the puncture, then the fruits can be collected. This usually happens in early May.
Green nuts are extremely healthy and rich in a wide range of different substances, and therefore are often used in folk medicine. Jams, compotes and marinades are also made from green nuts.
Chemical composition
The shell, septa and kernels are equally valued in traditional and folk medicine. Pericarp is used as a medicine for high blood pressure, insomnia, and baldness. Partitions are used for diabetes, to increase immunity, for obesity, radiculitis, excessive sweating, indigestion, iodine deficiency.
Why is walnut good for you? Ripe walnut fruit in 100 g contains:
- 11.1 g of simple (glucose, lactose, maltose) and complex (starch, pectin, glycogen) carbohydrates, including dietary fiber (fiber);
- protein is 15.2 g. It includes essential amino acids;
- walnuts mainly consist of fats - 65.2 g. The rest is occupied by microelements (calcium, fluorine, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, potassium, sodium) and vitamins A, PP, B, C.
The calorie content of peeled kernels is 700 kcal per 100 g, which is twice the nutritional value of premium pasta and wheat bread.
Unripe walnuts are much different in chemical composition from ripe kernels. Vitamin C disappears from the fruit as it ripens. Therefore, the greener the nuts, the healthier they are. Young fruits contain many vitamins, essential amino acids, antioxidants that cleanse and rejuvenate the body. Unripe walnuts help get rid of worms and viruses.
The woody shell is rich in vitamins and phenolic acids. Coumarin, pellicles, and steroids were found in it. Walnut leaves contain essential oils, carotene, iodine, vitamin C, B1, tannins, and a rare alkaloid juglandin, which has natural antimicrobial properties.
Possible diseases and pests
Diseases and pests of walnut are not so numerous due to its increased resistance, but they still exist, among them:
Developing in several generations per season, the American white butterfly, being in the state of a caterpillar, can harm the leaves of a tree. Treating walnuts with insecticides and microbiological preparations will help solve this problem.
The caterpillars of the nut moth feed on the contents of nut fruits. Nuts affected by this pest fall off. To combat the pest, you need to treat the tree with viral drugs that cause disease and death of the caterpillars.
Aphids that settle on a tree feed on the nutrients contained in the walnut vegetation, thereby damaging and destroying it. It is possible to destroy the pest using chemicals.
The beetle that settles under the bark of a tree is called sapwood. The beetle damages the nut trunk by gnawing out the bark and causing the secretion of juices. To combat insects, insecticides and pruning of pest-infested branches are used.
Walnuts may not develop fully due to soil poor in nutrients, excess watering and lack of care.
Contraindications
Not everyone benefits from walnuts. You need to limit its use:
- for acute gastric diseases;
- skin diseases (neurodermatitis, eczema, psoriasis);
- those suffering from food allergies;
- people with individual intolerance;
- If you are obese, you need to monitor the dosage and not exceed 30 g per day.
Excessive consumption of walnuts can cause irritation of the oral mucosa, allergic stomatitis, inflammation of the tonsils, diathesis, and headache.
Watch a video about all the medicinal properties of walnuts
Tangible benefits of nuts
The walnut kernel has a number of beneficial properties, including:
- vitamin E – has a positive effect on diseases of the cardiovascular system and high blood pressure;
- antioxidants – have a rejuvenating effect on the body’s cells, and also reduce the risk of cancer;
- potassium – plays an important role in the metabolic processes of the human body;
- fiber – helps in cleansing the intestines, promotes the burning of fat cells, has a preventive effect against the risk of obesity;
- cobalt, zinc, iron – prevent anemia by increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
- protein – a high content of this substance improves brain activity.
In addition, nuts have a general strengthening effect.
Disadvantages of walnut wood
One of the disadvantages of American walnut wood is its heterogeneous structure, since there are a large number of branches on the tree. In other words, there are different types of knots on the boards, therefore, with selective sorting, the price of raw materials increases. Another disadvantage is the wide layer of sapwood, which contrasts in color with the main wood.
Despite the listed disadvantages, solid walnut is in demand precisely due to its original and noble design. Flooring manufacturers also note natural colors and shades, which are presented in a limited palette, which, combined with high mechanical properties, provides a wide range of applications for walnut.
Photo of walnut tree
Nutritional properties of cola
Many of our readers are hearing about cola for the first time. Therefore, first we will briefly tell you about the type itself, and only then we will move on to a description of its benefits. Kola nuts grow on sterculia trees, and in an evergreen form.
The large plant easily reaches about 20 meters in height. The appearance of the plant shows a characteristic resemblance to chestnut, including due to the oblong shape of the leaves. The flowering plant is covered with yellow flowers. The buds are shaped like a neat star, which adds sophistication and beauty to the tree.
But the capricious plant, as you guessed, does not bear its first fruits soon. Nuts are formed 10 years after the start of growth, but expectations are fully justified. The average annual harvest consists of 50 kilograms of tasty and healthy fruits.
Cola produces a good tonic effect due to the caffeine content in the pulp. It is noteworthy that the volume of this substance in the nut is greater than in coffee beans.
Kola Nuts
Regular consumption of kola nuts has the following effects on the body and mind:
- Speeds up
and improves thought processes. - Improves
concentration, so nuts will definitely help when solving any creative problem. - Productivity increases noticeably
. - Kola nuts relieve fatigue
and help overcome stress.
Fresh cola fruits contain water, protein, and various fats. It also contains essential oils, cellulose, starch and even theobromine. All these elements help to digest even the heaviest food faster and better.
Cola is recommended to counteract bronchial diseases, diarrhea, hepatitis and rheumatism. The beneficial cosmetic properties of kola nuts will also be relevant for girls. The fruits of this tree have a positive effect on the growth rate of nails and hair, while the quality of the skin also increases.
