Juglans regia (English Walnut)

Native to parts of Europe and Asia, this broad-crowned deciduous tree is cultivated for its edible nuts. Its gray bark is smooth when young and develops ridges with age. Pinnate leaves have several oblong leaflets and become yellow in autumn. Male flowers hang in catkins, while female flowers occur in small clusters. The nuts develop inside smooth green husks that turn brown as they mature. The tree favors sunny positions and moist, rich, freely draining soil. Its timber is valued for furniture and cabinetry. It has naturalized in New Zealand. Photographed in Colombia.