Walnut

A dark, luxurious beauty

Walnut is a dark, medium hard wood species. The wood is straight grained and patchy. The heartwood is pale brown to dark chocolate in colour. Unlike most wood species, walnut lightens in tone over the years and becomes golden brown. Walnut is a popular choice for furniture, cabinet-making and flooring. Kährs walnut flooring conveys a sense of luxury and cosiness.

Rich pickings indeed

Walnut has a lot of good things going for it. Botanically, its nuts are not actually nuts at all – they are stone fruits rich in polyunsaturated fat, iron and antioxidants. Research shows that walnuts in the diet can have a positive effect on memory.

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A holy tree for the Greeks and Romans

The walnut family consists of 20 or so species. It originates from south-eastern Europe and western Asia, but is mainly cultivated in the USA, France and Italy. In these countries, it is financially important, on account of both its timber and the walnuts themselves.

Walnut trees can grow up to 30m tall. The trunk is thick and straight. Over time, its smooth surface becomes grooved and cracked. The crown is broad at the top and made up of large, shiny leaves with a pleasant scent. Walnuts are a stone fruit that grow once the tree is around ten years old. The nutshell is green initially, but when it matures it cracks open to reveal the grooved, slightly oval nut that’s popular in a number of classic dishes and as a snack.

A symbol of fertility

The walnut was a holy tree in both Greece and Rome, in ancient times. It was a symbol of fertility devoted to Artemis, Goddess of chastity and the hunt, and Diana, her Roman equivalent.

The beauty of walnut, for all to enjoy

The oil extracted from walnut is excellent for cooking and is also used in cosmetics. Its softening qualities make the skin feel beautiful, and a masque containing walnut oil is said to strengthen dry hair.

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  • Walnut (Lat. Juglans nigra)

  • Family: Walnut (Lat. Juglandaceae)

  • Size: The walnut can grow up to 30m in height (4-5m when cultivated).

  • Origin of Kährs walnut flooring: USA

  • Hardness: Hard, but a little softer than oak. Heavy and hardwearing. Brinell value: 3.5

  • Colour change: This wood undergoes a medium to extensive colour change, and the dark brown heartwood pales over time to take on a more yellowish-brown hue.

  • Random fact: In ancient times, people believed that backache could be relieved by carrying a walnut in its shell in the pocket. Walnuts are also documented to be a beneficial nut.