April 18, 2013

Here in southeast Michigan, there are a lot of black walnut trees.  Something you may not know about them is that they emit a chemical called Juglone that can be poisonous to surrounding plant material! Plants in the walnut family can kill or hinder the growth of plants that come in contact with their roots or leaf debris.

If you have black walnuts on your property, it is beneficial to know this prior to landscaping so that you do not make the mistake of planting material that is susceptible to this chemical. Many plants can survive for years unaffected, making the sudden illness seem like a mystery.  There has been very little scientific evidence as to which plants are truly juglone resistant.  Some plants have shallow root systems that may not make direct contact with the walnut roots, and others may be truly resistant.

Contact us if you have a black walnut tree that you would like to landscape near.  We can help you choose the right plant material for this location.