What plants grow near black walnut trees?
—Mabel Trapp, Watertown, Wisconsin Melinda: Black walnut trees contain juglone, which is toxic to many plants. Here’s a list of some plants that have grown successfully under or near black walnuts: eastern redbud, Canadian hemlock, Red Cardinal clematis, euonymus, weeping forsythia, rose of Sharon, arborvitae, some viburnums, wax begonia, pansy, zinnia, wood anemone, astilbe, coral bells, daylily, hosta, sundrops, sensitive fern, lungwort, sedum and lambs’ ears. For a more complete list, check out Ohio State University’s black walnut toxicity fact sheet at www.ag.ohio-state. edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html. Make sure to choose plants that are well suited for the existing light and soil conditions in your yard.
