Walnut - Tree of the year 2008

The tree of the year 2008 is the walnut tree. Walnut is a typical home tree, a good old friend that has to be cared – says the Berlin curatorial “Tree of the year”.

The walnut tree offers two things of the highest quality: the noblest wood and the best nuts. Furthermore the tree possesses its silver rind and its gnarled growth with a very special character, that was the reasons for the selection.

The origin of the walnut tree is on the Balkan and in Asia from Turkey to the Himalaya. Before and in between the ice-times the walnut tree has also been at home in Europe. Already in the young stone-time people knew about the value of this tree. It was brought to south- and middle-Europe in times of Greek and Romans. The Empress Maria Theresa encouraged the cultivation in the 18th century: “A walnut tree should be on every court.” Today it is cultivated in the whole north half-sphere in the temperate zone, also in North America (California) and in China.

The heavy wood shows a wide grey-brown until deep black-brown colour core that also displays cloud-like structures. It is one of the most valuable wood-sorts, the wood of the artists. It is used for veneers, furniture, interior designs and smaller utility objects, moreover clock-housings, music instruments, parquet, check-figures and turnery are made with it.

Walnut wood is characteristic for much biedermeier-style furniture. It is suitable as replacement for tropics wood such as rosewood, this means that its importance will grow since the tropic wood assortment is unfortunately decreasing.

More important that the wood are the nuts, for the usage. Walnuts aren’t missing on any Christmas plate. Since approx. 2000 years nuts are cultivated and brought about 1.5 Million tons of gain! Walnuts are unique because of their nutritional and compounds: They have about 60% fat, 20% proteins, a lot of vitamin B1 and C, traces of vitamin B2, A and E as well as minerals (among others potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphor). One can manufacture one of the most sophisticated oils with it, as well as the “walnut spirit”.

The compounds of the walnut tree are considered blood-cleaning, nerves reinforcing, sweat-regulating, power increasing and concentration improving. Walnut-essence is considered good for people that want to start new ways and leave the past behind, according to Bach-flowers’ Therapy.

During the proclamation, Dr. Wodarz from the curatorial “Tree of the year” suggested to keep one of twenty walnuts that are going to be eaten and to place it in the potting soil of a plant and cover it with moss. (The ceramic strength however, decreases after 6 months!) Then the pot should be placed at a fresh place (0-4°C), where it is protected from strong frost, drying and mouses. It should be moved outside in April, water it sometimes and then one becomes a witness of a sprouting walnut tree that can be planted at an adequate place in autumn!

Find further information on the internet homepage of the curatorial “Tree of the year”: www.baum-des-jahres.de (German page).