Juglans cinerea

Butternut                                                  

 

1141 Columbia Avenue, Lancaster PA

 

Joe Richardson

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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.