
Juglans cinerea
Butternut
1141 Columbia Avenue, Lancaster PA
Joe Richardson
When measured in 2008, this tree had a trunk circumference of 176 inches, a height of 76 feet, and a spread of 87 feet (pabigtrees.com). This makes it the largest Butternut in Lancaster County and the fourth largest in Penn- sylvania.
A fungus (bark canker) has been at- tacking Butternuts in North America, and arborists expect that the species will eventually be endangered (it is already so listed in Canada).
[First photo is from pabigtrees.com.]
In addition to its delicious nuts, this amazing species has such medicinal bark and sap that Native Americans used Butternut to treat toothaches, arthritic joints, wounds and consti- pation; to aid pregnancy; and even to condition hair. Indians also used the nut oil to ward off mosquitos and to treat tapeworms.
