The **English walnut (Juglans regia)** is native to a wide arc from the Balkans through Central Asia to the Himalayas and western China. It spread westward with the Romans, who valued its nuts and timber, and it became naturalised across much of Europe. Despite its name, it is not native to England but was introduced there in antiquity. ![[Juglans-regia.jpeg]] **Fascinating notes:** - The Latin name _Juglans_ derives from _Jovis glans_ — “the nut of Jupiter.” - Its timber, prized for gunstocks and fine furniture, was so heavily used in the 18th–19th centuries that old European walnut groves were nearly exhausted. - Walnuts exude juglone, a natural chemical that inhibits growth of many plants beneath their canopy, creating their own cleared understory.