What is Black Walnut Hull?

Black Walnut Hull is the cut and sifted dried hull of Juglans nigra, the Eastern Black Walnut, a large deciduous tree in the walnut family (Juglandaceae) native to eastern and central North America. The hull is the thick outer husk that encloses the nut and its hard shell.

About the plant

Black walnut is best known for its dark, fine-grained heartwood, one of the most prized hardwoods in North America, and for its strongly flavored nuts. Each nut ripens inside a round green husk that darkens to brown and black as it matures and dries. The hulls are rich in tannins and in juglone, the compound behind the tree's well-known habit of suppressing other plants that grow beneath it. That same chemistry makes the hulls a strong natural dye: they have a long history of use for dyeing wool, cloth, and baskets a deep brown, and for making wood stain and ink. Black walnut hull also has a place in North American folk herbalism.

Black Walnut Hull: form & sizes

We carry Black Walnut Hull as cut and sifted dried hull, sold by weight in sizes from 1 oz to 1 lb. We make no health or therapeutic claims.

Storage

Store Black Walnut Hull in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and humidity, to preserve its color and aroma.

Safety

Known allergen: tree nuts. The juglone in black walnut hull is toxic to fish, many plants and is a known mutagen in animals. In humans, this chemical can produce symptoms similar to cyanide poisoning. Do not consume in large quantities or use long-term. Do not use during pregnancy.

Black Walnut Hull at a glance

Botanical name

Juglans nigra

Family

Juglandaceae

Native region

eastern and central North America

Plant part

hull (the outer husk of the nut)

Also known as

Eastern Black Walnut, American Black Walnut

Format

Cut and sifted

Form

cut and sifted dried hull

Sizes

1 oz to 1 lb