Butternut

Juglans cinerea

Found in moist, nutrient-rich forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height: 40–60 feet
Spread: 40–60 feet
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

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Butternut canker. Butternut canker disease now threatens this tree's continued existence. Plant caution source

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: April to May
Fruiting season: October

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Recorded in 67 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 144 animals.

Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Birds. 4 shared habitats
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Birds. 4 shared habitats
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora pinus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Canada Warbler
Wilsonia canadensis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Eurasian Collared-dove
Streptopelia decaocto
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Magnolia Warbler
Dendroica magnolia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

134CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Juglans

Actias lunaLuna Moth
Citheronia regalisRegal Moth
Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak
Abagrotis alternataGreater Red Dart, Mottled Grey Cutworm
Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Acrobasis angusellaHickory Leafstem Borer Moth
Acrobasis caryivorellaPecan Nursery Casemaker, Hickory Shoot Moth
Acrobasis demotellaWalnut Shoot Moth
Acrobasis juglandisPecan Leaf Casebearer

Show all 134

Acrobasis stigmellaHickory Bud-and-Shoot Borer
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Allotria elonymphaFalse Underwing
Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
Amorpha juglandisWalnut Sphinx
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anatrachyntis rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips infumatanaSmoked Leafroller Moth
Archips rileyanaSouthern Ugly-Nest Caterpillar Moth
Argyrotaenia juglandanaHickory Leafroller
Automeris ioIo Moth
Baileya australisSmall Baileya
Baileya dormitansSleeping Baileya
Baileya levitansPale Baileya
Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Caloptilia blandellaWalnut Caloptilia
Catastega timidellaOak Trumpet Skeletonizer Moth
Catocala flebilisMourning Underwing
Catocala habilisHabilis Underwing
Catocala innubensThe Betrothed
Catocala judithJudith's Underwing
Catocala lacrymosaTearful Underwing
Catocala maestosaSad Underwing
Catocala nebulosaClouded Underwing
Catocala neogamaThe Bride
Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
Catocala piatrixThe Penitent, Penitent Underwing
Catocala retectaYellow-Grey Underwing
Catocala robinsoniiRobinson's Underwing
Catocala serenaSerene Underwing
Catocala subnataYouthful Underwing
Catocala viduaWidow Underwing
Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
Chaetaglaea sericeaSilky Sallow
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Coleophora laticornellaPecan Cigar Casebearer
Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
Cydia caryanaHickory Shuckworm, Pecan Shuckworm
Cydia latiferreanaFilbertworm
Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
Datana drexeliiDrexel's Datana
Datana integerrimaWalnut Caterpillar Moth
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Derrima stellataPink Star
Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
Dryocampa rubicundaRosy Maple Moth, Green-Striped Mapleworm, Rosy Dryocampa
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Egira alternansAlternate Woodling
Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
Eupsilia vinulentaStraight-Toothed Sallow
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
Gretchena amatanaLikeable Gretchena
Gretchena bollianaPecan Bud Moth
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
Haploa reversaReversed Haploa
Heterocampa pulvereaWhite-Blotched Heterocampa
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hypena madefactalisGray-Edged Bomolocha, Gray-Edged Snout
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
Isa textulaCrowned Slug
Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
Lochmaeus bilineataDouble-Lined Prominent
Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nemoria bistriariaTwo-Striped Emerald, Red-Fringed Emerald
Nites betulellaBlackdotted Birch Leaftier
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
Olethreutes inornatanaInornate Olethreutes
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
Panopoda rufimargoRed-Lined Panopoda
Parallelia bistriarisMaple Looper Moth
Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Psaphida electilisChosen Sallow
Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
Satyrium caryaevorusHickory Hairstreak
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Selenia kentariaKent's Geometer
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Stigmella juglandifoliellaPecan Serpentine Leafminer
Sympistis infixaBroad-Lined Sallow
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Acrobasis tumidulella
Dichomeris ventrellus
Gretchena concitatricana
Gretchena concubitana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Juglandaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3a–7b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Yellow or green
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single stem
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: October
Fruit ends: October

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow or green” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 3a–7b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “40–60 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “40–60 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

White Walnut

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S3?
Global rank	G3
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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Butternut

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Juglans