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Home BYGL Hort Shorts July 17, 2008 TOXIC TREE TROUBLES
TOXIC TREE TROUBLES Print E-mail

The Mahoning County Extension plant pest clinic is operated by the Mahoning Master Gardener Volunteers. These dedicated diagnosticians take their service to the office seriously. Occasionally, samples of plant problems come into the office that perplexes this seasoned group, as was the case last week. Dave Goerig noted reviewing a bag full of wilted vegetable plants, with roots attached that emitted a slight nutty odor. It turns out the vegetable gardeners who brought in the sample unfortunately located their new garden close to a black walnut tree.

The roots of BLACK WALNUT (Juglans nigra) and BUTTERNUT (Juglans cinerea) produce a substance known as JUGLONE (5-hydroxyl-alphanapthaquinone). Many plants such as tomato, potato, blackberry, blueberry, azalea, mountain laurel, and rhododendron may be injured or killed if planted within the rootzone of one of these trees. The toxic zone from a mature tree occurs on average in a 50' to 60' radius. Not all plants are sensitive to juglone. For a partial list of plants that show resistance to this toxic tree, review OSU Extension Factsheet HYG-1148, "Black Walnut Toxicity to Plants, Humans and Horses."

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Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 July 2008 20:14 )
 

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