Archaeological finds indicate that walnut fruits were used as a food as early as 9,000 years ago. The first written records date back to Pliny the Elder and Columella. Pliny's accounts in his Naturalis Historia attest to the walnut's importation into Europe by the Greeks from Asia Minor between the 7th and 5th centuries BC.

Indeed, there is evidence of the presence of walnut trees in Europe as early as the Tertiary Era. Following the glaciations, some specimens managed to reach the Mediterranean basin. Thus, the walnut tree's range in the Quaternary Period extended from the Balkan Peninsula to Central Asia. Characteristic pure walnut forests still exist today in Kyrgyzstan, in the Tien Shan mountain range.

 

The common walnut (Juglans regia) tolerates slightly acidic and calcareous soils well, while the black walnut (Juglans nigra) requires cool, slightly acidic soil. The walnut is an easy tree to grow, but the soil it grows in must be rich in organic matter. Special attention must be paid to watering in June, because a lack of water will cause the fruit to be small. Watering in late spring is also essential because this is the time of flower induction (the following year's future flowers). Drought or late frosts at this time would compromise the following year's harvest.

 

Cultivated trees are grafted and begin producing in their fifth or sixth year. They are in full production from their 25th to their 70th year. Black walnut is sometimes used as a rootstock because it resists mold, especially in humid areas.

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There are several varieties of walnuts: Reggia, California, Chandler, Franquette, Sorrento , etc.

The variety we favor is the Reggia walnut , which is highly disease-resistant; the fruit is medium-sized but highly prized: it is widely used in confectionery and, when used as a rootstock, acts as a pollinator.

The tree is majestic and imposing, its wood used to make furniture and interior doors. It bears fruit early and is resistant to viruses. We expect to have more varieties of walnut trees in the coming years.