Heartnut
Juglans ailantifolia var. cordiformis
treeHeartnut (Juglans ailantifolia var. cordiformis) is a variety of the Japanese walnut grown for its charming heart-shaped nuts, which hang in long strings of a dozen or more and crack open cleanly into two neat halves. It is a handsome, fast-growing, broad-canopied walnut with large tropical-looking leaves, more resistant to canker than butternut and quicker to bear - often in 4 to 6 years. Like all walnuts it produces juglone, so it needs the same careful siting away from sensitive garden plants.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 14 days
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Harvest
~5 yrs
to first harvest
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Difficulty
medium
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Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
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Spacing
40-50 ft apart
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Planting Depth
Bare-root in a deep hole; flare at soil line
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Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Growing Details
Soil Type
Deep, rich, well-drained
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5 – 8
When to Fertilize
Spring only, as growth begins
Fertilizer
Balanced or compost; nitrogen per soil test
🌱 Growing Guide
Grow heartnut in full sun in deep, rich, well-drained soil with room to spread its wide canopy. Plant a dormant bare-root or young tree in spring, water through establishment, and keep the area beneath clear. It is wind-pollinated and only partly self-fruitful, so a second heartnut or Japanese walnut nearby improves the crop. Prune lightly in late summer or fall, never in spring when walnuts bleed sap. It is vigorous and relatively trouble-free, but watch for the same husk and canker issues as its butternut cousin.
Planting Calendar
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Direct sow
Apr 29
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Projected first harvest
Oct 26 · Year 6
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Year 1
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Currant: A juglone-tolerant fruiting shrub for the partial shade near the tree
- Black Raspberry: Tolerates walnut-family juglone better than most brambles
- Clover: A juglone-tolerant nitrogen-fixing groundcover for the open soil
❌ Keep away from
TomatoPepperPotatoBlueberryAzaleaRhododendron
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Maggots tunnel the husks and stain the shells; rake up and destroy fallen nuts and hulls promptly
Bores into nuts as it does apples; sanitation and pheromone traps reduce numbers
Cause honeydew and sooty mold but rarely real harm; a hose rinse and beneficial insects keep them in check
🌾 Harvest & storage
Heartnuts ripen in fall and fall in their husks; gather them promptly and wear gloves against staining. Remove the husks, wash the nuts, and cure them in an airy, shaded spot for a couple of weeks. The great virtue of the heartnut is the crack: a sharp tap on the seam splits the nut into two clean heart-shaped halves, far easier than butternut or black walnut. Cured in-shell nuts keep for months.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Heartnuts give a sweet, mild kernel much like butternut but milder, eaten fresh, in baking, and as a novelty for their perfect heart shape, and they are high in healthy fats. The tree is ornamental in its own right with bold foliage and dangling nut strings. Mind the juglone - keep tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, blueberries, azaleas, and rhododendrons clear of the root zone.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.