Juglans californica S.Watson

Shrubs or small trees , to 6-9 m. Bark light or medium gray, divided into rough plates. Twigs with distal edge of leaf scar notched, often shallowly so, glabrescent or bordered by poorly defined velvety patch; pith brown. Terminal buds ovoid to ellipsoid, somewhat flattened, 5-6 mm. Leaves 15-24 cm; petiole 2-5 cm. Leaflets (9-)11-15(-17), usually narrowly oblong-elliptic to lance-elliptic, occasionally lanceolate, symmetric or weakly falcate, 4.3-9.5 × 1.6-2.6 cm, margins finely serrate, apex rounded to acute; surfaces abaxially without tufts of hair in vein axils, abaxially and adaxially glabrous with scales but no hairs, main veins glandular, often sparsely so, leaflets without nonglandular hairs (except for multiradiate hairs early in season); terminal leaflet well developed. Staminate catkins 5-14 cm; stamens 15-35 per flower; pollen sacs 0.6-1 mm. Fruits 1-3, globose, 2.1-3.5 cm, smooth, at first glandular, with scattered scales, soon glabrescent; nuts depressed-globose, 1.8-2.2(-2.5) cm, shallowly grooved, surface between grooves smooth.

They normally grow on moist sites. They do best in deep alluvial soil. They can tolerate full sun and seasonal flooding. It is drought resistant. It suits hardiness zones 7-10. Arboretum Tasmania.

The nuts are eaten. They are also used in pies, cakes and biscuits. The nuts can be boiled and the oil skimmed off. It is used in cooking.

Plants can be grown by seeds or cuttings.