Black Walnut Tolerant Ornamentals

Some will tell you that if you have the wonderful shade tree that are black walnut trees, that you are doomed to a garden of hostas and little else… NOT SO! I have killed my share of plants in my pursuit of a colourful English Cottage style garden in the back yard garden with Black Walnut trees in the SW, NW, and NE corners. My ~55′ wide by ~ 35′ deep back yard is made even shadier by the non-fruiting mulberry & catalpa in the SE corner.

Upon interviewing other SW Ontario, Canadian gardeners with Black Walnut trees, it became clear that some of the failures I had ascribed to the black walnuts, are more about sufficient sunlight, than about the juglone that the black walnut puts out through it’s roots. Juglone is also present in all parts of the tree; the leaves, twigs, nuts and branch litter. Many sources say that a thorough fall cleanup can greatly reduce the concentration of juglone in the soil. However the juglone from the roots will persist in the soil for several years, even after the tree is taken down. Because of their juglone content, composted black walnut leaves should not be used around non-black walnut tolerant plants.

I also have a post about black walnut tolerant edibles here.

For more basic information on Black Walnuts, I’ll direct you to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans_nigra

Many thanks to gardening guru Sophia, friends in Seaforth, and neighbour Marilyn, amongst others for helping me build this list!

Perennials:

aconitum carmichaelii, fall monkshood blue

aconitum napellus, summer monkshood blue

agastache azureum, licorice flower blue

ajuga reptans, bugleweed blue

anchusa azurea, 4’ relative of forget-me-nots

aquilegia sp., columbine

baptisia australis, false indigo blue (with enough sun)

centaurea dealbata Persian cornflower hot pink

centaurea montana bachelor’s buttons blue

clematis sp. needs sun to flower

convallaria majalis lily of the valley white

dicentra spectabilis bleeding heart

doronicum Leopard’s Bane yellow

echinacea purple coneflower

echinops ritro, globe thistle blue

gallium odoratum sweet woodruff white

geranium sp. cranesbill geranium

hedera helix – English ivy plain

heliopsis helianthoides ‘Lorraine Sunshine’ false sunflower 3’ yellow

hemerocallis sp., daylilies

hesperis matronalis, Dame’s Roquet, false phlox, purple or white

hieracium spilophaeum, ‘Leopard’ Hawkweed yellow

hosta

iris sp. bulbs, corms, roots incl. Siberian iris

lamium sp.

leucanthemum vulgare, oxeye daisies

lilium sp. bulb lilies – may be short lived

linaria, Toadflax

lupinus polyphyllus, lupines

lychnis coronaria, kitten’s ears – rose campion

lysimachia nummularia, creeping jenny

monarda didyma, red bee balm

phalaris arundinacea, ribbon grass

phlox paniculata, garden phlox

phlox subulata, moss phlox

physostegia virginiana, obedient plant ‘Vivid’ purple

platycodon grandiflorus, balloon flower blue

pulmonaria officinalis, lungwort

rosa, roses

sedums sp., various

stachys byzantina, lamb’s ears, pale pink

tanacetum parthenium, feverfew white

tradescantia virginiana, spiderwort ‘Navaho Princess’ white

valerian officinalis, valerian white

veronica gentianoides, light blue with darker blue veining 20”

veronica peducularis, creeping speedwell royal blue groundcover

veronica spicata, spike speedwell, ~1’ tall medium blue

vinca minor, periwinkle blue

viola sororia, common violet

Carolinian / SW Ontario Canada Natives:

achillea millefolium, white yarrow

actea racemosa, black cohosh white

aquilegia canadensis, yellow / red columbine

agastache, dark blue or white licorice flower

alcea rugosa,(?) butter yellow hollyhock with fig leaves

aster sp.

blephilia ciliata, downy wood mint

cimicifuga racemosa, black cohosh white (aka actea r.)

coreopsis lanceolata ,yellow coreopsis

echinacea sp., purple coneflower

erythronium americanum, trout lilies

eupatorium, Joe Pye weed

heliopsis helianthoides ‘Lorraine Sunshine’ false sunflower 3’

lupinus perennis, native blue lupine

monarda fistulosa, native purple bee balm

oenothera fruticosa subsp. glauca, yellow evening primrose

penstemon sp.

phlox divaritica, blue woodland phlox

phlox stolonifera, creeping phlox blue

physostegia virginiana White native obedient plant

polygonatum commutatum, Solomon’s Seal white

rudbeckia laciniata 6’ yellow

rudbeckia hirta 2’ garden variety black eyed Susans

rudbeckia nitida, 7’ late season needs staking if in windy area

solidago sp., goldenrod

stylophorum diphyllum, yellow Celandine poppy

tradescantia virginiana, Virginia spiderwort, blue

trillium

Annuals & Biennials:

Antirrhinum sp. snapdragons

Cerinthe major ‘purpurascens, honeywort

Cheiranthus cheiri, wallflower

Cleome hassleriana, spider flower

Cosmos bipinatus, cosmos

Erysimum cheiri, wallflower (aka Cheiranthus)

Ipomoea purpurea, morning glories

Mirabilis jalapa, four o’clocks

Myosotis sylvatica, forget me nots

Petunia x hybrida, petunias

Tagetes sp., marigolds

Viola tricolor, Johnny-jump-ups

Viola x wittrockiana, pansies

Shrubs:

Cercis canadensis, eastern redbud

Cornus sericea, redosier dogwood

Euonymus elata, Burning bush

Euonymus sp.

Exochorda x., ‘The Bride’ Pearl bush

Hibiscus syriacus, Rose of Sharon, better at drip edge

Kerria japonica, yellow pompom flowers in spring

Ligustrum vulgare, Privet – grows very slowly, better beyond drip edge

Lindera benzoin, Spicebush

Philadelphus coronaria, Mock Orange – fine under canopy

Weigela florida, Weigela (mine succumbed after several years – possibly from lack of water in sandy soil)

Bulbs:

Acidanthera muriellae – fairy glads

Allium sp.

Canna indica, canna lilies

Chionodoxa – glory in the snow

Crocus sp.

Daffodils- narcissus

Dahlias

Galanthus, snowdrops

Hyacinthus, giant hyacinths

Iris danfordiae, dwarf bulb iris

Iris germanica, bearded iris

Iris x hollandica, Dutch iris (florist iris)

Iris reticulata, dwarf bulb iris

Muscari, grape hyacinths blue

Narcissus, daffodils

ornigothalum umbellatum, Star of Bethlehem white

Pushkinia, white with blue veining

Scilla, Siberian squill blue

Tulipa sp.

Off topic, but timely

Homemade card

Inexpensive or free Advent activities

Crafty activities for kids

Make cards for friends and relatives

Make hand print Christmas tree

Make hand print Christmas wreath

Make fist print snowman

Make cotton ball Santa’s beard

Make a paper chain / garland

Make a wreath for bedroom door

Make homemade wrapping paper ( finger painting etc.)

Tell a Christmas story to siblings or parents

Draw your family in the snow

Do something nice for your siblings & parents

Build a snowman or make snow angels (or draw some)

Make a new ornament for the tree

Make a treat and bring it to your neighbour or babysitters

Play with red and green play dough and cookie cutters

Make gift tags for presents with To: and From:

Cut out and decorate a tree and star to put in a window

Play musical chairs while listening to Christmas music

Crafty activities for older kids:

Make an origami crane garland

Make a card for your teacher(s)

String popcorn and cranberries

Make reindeer food (oatmeal, seeds, and coloured sprinkles) give some extra to friends and neighbours

Sprinkle the reindeer food out on the lawn on Christmas eve

Play with red and green clay and cookie cutters

Make a peanut butter/seed ball for the birds

Write down your favourite Christmas memories in a card

Make dog or cat treats

Make homemade wrapping paper with potato stamps

Cut paper snowflakes

Cut paper doll garland

Make Christmas cards

Read your favourite Xmas book aloud to family

Write a Christmas story about your family

Make a list of 10 things you are thankful for and share it

Write a letter to Santa

Go see Santa at the Mall

Make thank you cards to send to family after xmas

General

Sing carols at home or with friends and neighbours

Sing carols over the phone, or just call friends and relatives

Dance to xmas music

Watch xmas movies with popcorn

Watch youtube xmas cartoons: Muppets, Chipmunks, Jingle Cats etc

Ask parents and grandparents how they celebrated Christmas as kids

Read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’

Put up tree

Decorate tree

Decorate house indoors

Make a new decoration for the tree

Put up outdoor lights / decorations

Walk around neighbourhood to see lights

Drive to your town’s most decorated streets or park

Hand deliver cards to in town friends

Candlelit picnic dinner by xmas tree

Hang mistletoe

Walk downtown to see store window decorations

Mail cards / letters

Go for a hike or snowshoe or skate

Sit by a fire

A small cost

Visit local historic home to see old fashioned decorations

Go on charity decorated home tour

Make mulled cider, chai, or spiced herbal tea

Make clove studded citrus or apples to scent the house

Make carrot, plum or figgy pudding

Bake cinnamon dough ornaments

Bake cookies

Make and decorate gingerbread house

Drink egg nog or have it in coffee (!)

Hot chocolate stirred with candy canes or topped with marshmallows

Make brunch for friends

Read aloud a new to you xmas book from the library or bookstore

More expensive

Xmas open house (potluck?)

Make / buy Irish Cream liqueur

Buy or trade Christmas music

Brunch at a local independent restaurant

Choose a real tree

Go see a holiday show e.g. Vinyl Cafe, Messiah, local high school

Gift certificates for shared experiences e.g.:

zoo, museum, concert, show, art gallery, massage, reiki, spa day, date night of their choosing, road trip to their choice of destination, favourite coffee shop or restaurant, workshop/class, sky-diving, etc.

Donate to the food bank

Fill a Christmas hamper for a family in need (or go together on it with friends)

Black Walnut Tolerant Ornamentals:

A riot of colourful phlox

A riot of colourful phlox

Some will tell you that if you have the wonderful shade tree that are black walnut trees, that you are doomed to a garden of hostas and little else… NOT SO! I have killed my share of plants in my pursuit of a colourful English Cottage style garden in the back yard garden with Black Walnut trees in the SW, NW, and NE corners. My ~55′ wide by ~ 35′ deep back yard is made even shadier by the non-fruiting mulberry & catalpa in the SE corner.

Upon interviewing other SW Ontario, Canadian gardeners with Black Walnut trees, it became clear that some of the failures I had ascribed to the black walnuts, are more about sufficient sunlight, than about the juglone that the black walnut puts out through it’s roots. Juglone is also present in all parts of the tree; the leaves, twigs, nuts and branch litter. Many sources say that a thorough fall cleanup can greatly reduce the concentration of juglone in the soil. However the juglone from the roots will persist in the soil for several years, even after the tree is taken down. Because of their juglone content, composted black walnut leaves should not be used around non-black walnut tolerant plants.

I also have a post about black walnut tolerant edibles here.

For more basic information on Black Walnuts, I’ll direct you to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans_nigra

Many thanks to gardening guru Sophia, friends in Seaforth, and neighbour Marilyn, amongst others for helping me build this list!

Perennials:

aconitum carmichaelii, fall monkshood blue

aconitum napellus, summer monkshood blue

agastache azureum, licorice flower blue

ajuga reptans, bugleweed blue

anchusa azurea, 4’ relative of forget-me-nots

aquilegia sp., columbine

baptisia australis, false indigo blue (with enough sun)

centaurea dealbata Persian cornflower hot pink

centaurea montana bachelor’s buttons blue

clematis sp. needs sun to flower

convallaria majalis lily of the valley white

dicentra spectabilis bleeding heart

doronicum Leopard’s Bane yellow

echinacea purple coneflower

echinops ritro, globe thistle blue

gallium odoratum sweet woodruff white

geranium sp. cranesbill geranium

hedera helix – English ivy plain

heliopsis helianthoides ‘Lorraine Sunshine’ false sunflower 3’ yellow

hemerocallis sp., daylilies

hesperis matronalis, Dame’s Roquet, false phlox, purple or white

hieracium spilophaeum, ‘Leopard’ Hawkweed yellow

hosta

iris sp. bulbs, corms, roots incl. Siberian iris

lamium sp.

leucanthemum vulgare, oxeye daisies

lilium sp. bulb lilies – may be short lived

linaria, Toadflax

lupinus polyphyllus, lupines

lychnis coronaria, kitten’s ears – rose campion

lysimachia nummularia, creeping jenny

monarda didyma, red bee balm

phalaris arundinacea, ribbon grass

phlox paniculata, garden phlox

phlox subulata, moss phlox

physostegia virginiana, obedient plant ‘Vivid’ purple

platycodon grandiflorus, balloon flower blue

pulmonaria officinalis, lungwort

rosa, roses

sedums sp., various

stachys byzantina, lamb’s ears, pale pink

tanacetum parthenium, feverfew white

tradescantia virginiana, spiderwort ‘Navaho Princess’ white

valerian officinalis, valerian white

veronica gentianoides, light blue with darker blue veining 20”

veronica peducularis, creeping speedwell royal blue groundcover

veronica spicata, spike speedwell, ~1’ tall medium blue

vinca minor, periwinkle blue

viola sororia, common violet

Carolinian / SW Ontario Canada Natives:

achillea millefolium, white yarrow

actea racemosa, black cohosh white

aquilegia canadensis, yellow / red columbine

agastache, dark blue or white licorice flower

alcea rugosa,(?) butter yellow hollyhock with fig leaves

aster sp.

blephilia ciliata, downy wood mint

cimicifuga racemosa, black cohosh white (aka actea r.)

coreopsis lanceolata ,yellow coreopsis

echinacea sp., purple coneflower

erythronium americanum, trout lilies

eupatorium, Joe Pye weed

heliopsis helianthoides ‘Lorraine Sunshine’ false sunflower 3’

lupinus perennis, native blue lupine

monarda fistulosa, native purple bee balm

oenothera fruticosa subsp. glauca, yellow evening primrose

penstemon sp.

phlox divaritica, blue woodland phlox

phlox stolonifera, creeping phlox blue

physostegia virginiana White native obedient plant

polygonatum commutatum, Solomon’s Seal white

rudbeckia laciniata 6’ yellow

rudbeckia hirta 2’ garden variety black eyed Susans

rudbeckia nitida, 7’ late season needs staking if in windy area

solidago sp., goldenrod

stylophorum diphyllum, yellow Celandine poppy

tradescantia virginiana, Virginia spiderwort, blue

trillium

Annuals & Biennials:

Antirrhinum sp. snapdragons

Cerinthe major ‘purpurascens, honeywort

Cheiranthus cheiri, wallflower

Cleome hassleriana, spider flower

Cosmos bipinatus, cosmos

Erysimum cheiri, wallflower (aka Cheiranthus)

Ipomoea purpurea, morning glories

Mirabilis jalapa, four o’clocks

Myosotis sylvatica, forget me nots

Petunia x hybrida, petunias

Tagetes sp., marigolds

Viola tricolor, Johnny-jump-ups

Viola x wittrockiana, pansies

Shrubs:

Cercis canadensis, eastern redbud

Cornus sericea, redosier dogwood

Euonymus elata, Burning bush

Euonymus sp.

Exochorda x., ‘The Bride’ Pearl bush

Hibiscus syriacus, Rose of Sharon, better at drip edge

Kerria japonica, yellow pompom flowers in spring

Ligustrum vulgare, Privet – grows very slowly, better beyond drip edge

Lindera benzoin, Spicebush

Philadelphus coronaria, Mock Orange – fine under canopy

Weigela florida, Weigela (mine succumbed after several years – possibly from lack of water in sandy soil)

Bulbs:

Acidanthera muriellae – fairy glads

Allium sp.

Canna indica, canna lilies

Chionodoxa – glory in the snow

Crocus sp.

Daffodils- narcissus

Dahlias

Galanthus, snowdrops

Hyacinthus, giant hyacinths

Iris danfordiae, dwarf bulb iris

Iris germanica, bearded iris

Iris x hollandica, Dutch iris (florist iris)

Iris reticulata, dwarf bulb iris

Muscari, grape hyacinths blue

Narcissus, daffodils

ornigothalum umbellatum, Star of Bethlehem white

Pushkinia, white with blue veining

Scilla, Siberian squill blue

Tulipa sp.

This entry was posted on July 3, 2016. 4 Comments

My experience with Black Walnut tolerant edible plants

For quite some time I have been doing the trial and error method, as well as asking friends and neighbours what edibles will grow near black walnut trees. I also have several future posts about black walnut tolerant ornamental flowers.

Many thanks to gardening guru Sophia, friends in Seaforth, and neighbour Marilyn, amongst others for helping me build this list!

My back yard has Black Walnut trees in the SW, NW, and NE corners, with a non-fruiting mulberry and catalpa in the SE corner. I garden in sandy soil, and rarely water beyond settling in transplants, for all that my gardens are lush and colourful. No doubt some failures are due to drought conditions. Also some of the failures I ascribed to the black walnuts, turn out to be more about in-sufficient sunlight, than about the juglone that the black walnut puts out through it’s roots. Juglone is also present in all parts of the tree; the leaves, twigs, nuts and branch litter. Many sources say that a thorough fall cleanup can greatly reduce the concentration of juglone in the soil. However the juglone from the roots will persist in the soil for several years before dissipating, even after the tree is taken down. Composted black walnut leaves should not be used around non-black walnut tolerant plants.

For more basic information on Black Walnuts, I’ll direct you to : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans_nigra

I hope that search engines will lead people here and that comments will add to this list of what can be grown. All of the food plants listed below will only grow and/or fruit well with sufficient sunlight. The rule of thumb that I’ve seen that holds true here; is that foods grown for their roots or their shoots (leaves) will do ok in some shade, whereas fruits need considerably more sun.

My biggest experimental success was harvesting smaller yields of snap and snow peas over a much longer season than full sun gardeners, since the plants were kept cool by afternoon shade.

Herb & Vegetables:

Alliums – all members of the onion family: Chives, Garlic, Leeks, Onions

Amaranth

Arugula

Beans: both pole and bush beans

Bee balm (tea)

Beets

Carrots

Chard

Chives

Corn

Daikon – Japanese radish

Dill

Garlic

Leeks

Lemon Balm (tea)

Melons

Okra

Onions

Parsley

Parsnips

Peas: Sugar, snap and snow peas

Radish

Sage

Shiso – Japanese “basil”

Squash – I had great success with Japanese ‘red kuri’ kabocha

Tarragon

Tomatillos

Thyme

Wild Ginger

Fruit: all of which need enough sun to fruit well

Apricot (all stone fruits)

Blackberry

Cherry

Currant

Mulberry

Paw Paw

Peach

Plum

Quince

Russian Olive (invasive)

Raspberry

Strawberry

Many edible ornamental flowers including:

Agastache licorice flower

Calendula (pot marigold)

Hemerocalis Daylilies

Hostas

Nasturtiums

Tagetes Marigolds

Viola sp. Johnny-jump-ups, Pansies, Violets

Edible weeds:

Dandelion

Dead nettle (lamium)

Garlic mustard

BLACK WALNUT INTOLERANT EDIBLES

Asparagus (may grow beyond root edge)

Brassicas: bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts,  cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, rapini, turnip

Grapes (Wild grape vines will grow, but no fruit)

Nightshades – eggplants, tomatoes (Marilyn was able to harvest tomatoes from indeterminate/vining tomatoes, every other person I spoke with had no luck with tomatoes), peppers, potatoes

Rhubarb – limped along, the same plant thrives now that it is well beyond the drip line

Other resources:

http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fact-sheets/trees-shrubs/landscaping-and-gardening-around-walnuts-and-other-juglone-producing-plants

https://blackwalnutdispatch.com/the-black-walnut-society/

Which lead me to the following excerpted comment about permaculture methods for black walnuts:

Taken from http://midwestpermaculture.ning.com/group/plantguilds/forum/topics/blackwalnut-plant-guilds:

Reply by Ezekiel Handsome-Lake on March 22, 2010 at 9:58am
In my experience Mulberry does phenominally next to black walnut, both red (native) and white (chinese) thrive and fruit normally as close as can be to a black walnut. Also, my reading leads me to believe that Mulberry will create a buffer in to soil inhibiting juglone from passing to plants on the other side of a Mulberry root zone my observations in the field support this. Also, most alleopathic plants are concerned with disabling competition (hence the lack of grass under black walnuts because they are both surface feeders.) Therefore, many plants, such as smallfruits, should not be affected by alleopathic chemicals produced by trees.
The guild in Gaia’s Garden was designed in AZ and therefore there is a difference in the character of their hackberry. Hacks in the SW USA are a shrub or small tree, whereas in the Midwest they almost always attain the height of a large tree (Hackberry seeds are an excellent late season sugar source for humans and wildlife.) Because of their larger size in the North (and the fact that they are also alleopaths,) they made compete pretty vigorously with a co-planted walnut.
As far as nightshade, i’ve heard peppers work fine but tomatoes i’ve heard both sides, some say they work some say they don’t.
Black Locust is a good native nitrogen fixer, is very hardy and attracts a million bees, a guild which centered a black walnut with a Black Locust (coppicable, and good fuel wood,) nurse and a circle of mulberry (mulberry can be pruned heavily to shape or keep low,) could probably grow quite a wider range of food than a Walnut with no buffer.

This entry was posted on June 25, 2016. 3 Comments

After a very long winter

It was a very long, very snowy winter here in Ontario 6b. The snow piles by the driveway were taller than me. Nothing compared to the Maritime provinces, but more than most years by far.

Luckily we had a fast / slow thaw: fast in that the many feet of snow are nearly entirely gone despite the 3/31 and Easter Sunday dustings that hid the ground for a few hours. Many years the piles on the North side of the house have lasted until early May. Slow in that it didn’t happen so abruptly that basements might flood. We had some unseasonably warm sunny days where it seemed like a foot of snow disappeared by nightfall. It wasn’t really that much, but some days were quite dramatic.

I’ve had snow drops for weeks, and a lonely squirrel planted white crocus by the south facing wall since Friday, but yesterday was cause for much joy. My first miniature bulb iris bloom of the year!!

IMG_4605 IMG_4606  IMG_4600

Yesterday I got busy with winter sowing and this was the result:

IMG_4607

7 kinds of columbine, 3 kinds of foxgloves, 2 Sweet William, 2 perennial poppies , a dwarf agastache, and Orlaya White Lace – an annual relative of Queen Anne’s Lace. For all the why’s and wherefore’s of winter sowing check out http://www.wintersown.org

8 more ws tubs went outside today; 2 kinds of alliums, fancy striped aster, purple cleome, and nearly cobalt blue forget me nots from Holland.

Next up, it’s time to start slow growers indoors. By my reckoning it’s still 9 weeks until I plant out the first week of June, so several weeks yet before I plant my annual salvias for the hummers!

It’s great to be greeting new growth each day, it seemed like winter would never end, without even a thaw at any point until March.

What we saw in the fields

We’ve all seen the postcards, the powerpoint emails, and documentary footage. Sadly we were a week too late to see the crazy stripes of colour all over fields upon end. This is what we saw:

Worker bees

Mixed plantings to die for

Don’t get me wrong the blocks of colour blew me away, but my bit of heaven was the flowery meades, the mille-fleurs of the medieval manuscripts and tapestries.  As most memorably represented in the ‘Lady and the Unicorn’ tapestries. These were brought to life with stunning effect in many beds throughout the Keukenhof. I’ve tried the much vaunted layered planting technique – biggest bulbs at the bottom, say daffs or tulips, then crocus, then grape hyacinth, then snowdrops. Sounds lovely in theory. In practice it was a very expensive waste of time for me. Either the squirrels had a feast (no sign of it in terms of holes dug, and they are not known for wily covering of their own tracks) or the various bulbs just don’t like being that close to each other. A few times I tried using the great sounding tip of planting a few grape hyacinths over top of tulips. The idea being that that come fall the hyacinths’ green leaves would remind me not to dig there. This worked sporadically, but not consistently enough to prevent that sickening feeling of the shovel encountering resistance as you realize that little bit too late that you have just murdered one or more fine bulbs.

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