Q. Any suggestions as to what to plant beneath a Black Walnut tree? I have tried rhododendrons without luck. I like the tree, carefully pick up the fruit when it falls to no avail. What plants if any will grow around a ‘Juglan’?
-Hudson, Ohio
A. There are a number of wildflowers and native grasses that will grow beautifully under Black Walnut trees. Black Eyed Susans, Cardinal Flowers, Jack in the Pulpit, Wild Senna, Prairie Smoke, Sneezeweed, Sunflowers(perennial), Great Blue Lobelia, Mountain Mint, Goldenrods, Ironweeds and Asters. In addition, two gorgeous shade grasses—Northern Sea Oats and Fine Fescue Grasses will do just fine.
-Miriam Goldberger, Wildflower Farm
Ontario, Canada
Here’s some additional information from another gardening professional:
A. Planting around Black Walnut trees is a problem because the tree produces a substance called juglone, which negatively affects other plants. One of my coworkers at About.com has written a nice article about plants that are especially sensitive to juglone, as well as a link to a list of juglone-tolerant plants. I hope you can find the right one for your yard!
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/qt/Black_Walnuts.htm
Here’s my profile about Black Walnut trees. http://treesandshrubs.about.com/od/commontrees/p/blackwalnut.htm
Vanessa Richins
Guide to Trees and Shrubs
About.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/treesandshrubs
And another!
A. Many plants will grow under Black Walnut but not Rhododendron. Try some of the following:
Ajuga reptans (Bugleweed), Asarum europaeum (European Ginger), Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff), Geranium sanguineum (Cranesbill) if it’s too shady, most ornamental grasses, Hosta, Pulmonaria (Lungwort), and Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) but I recommend one of the non-flowering cultivars assuming that it is sunny.
–Bobbie Schwartz, Bobbie’s Green Thumb
Shaker Heights, Ohio
