Tall tree. Bark with shiny gray raised ridges over a dark black to gray background. Leaves, large, compound, with leaflets in pairs to either side of center stalk, and, usually a single leaflet at the end. Leaflets egg-shaped, pointed. Male and female flowers separate on the tree. Male flowers are green catkins; female flowers are fuzzy green vases with 2 feathers sticking out. Fruits are green, oblong, pointed at the end, with ridges. Within this green husk is a dark-staining poisonous, irritating material, and within that, a typical edible walnuts.

An important native tree, rather rare in our area, but common in Wildwood, especially in the area around the South Bridge of the Riverway.

Black walnut (J. nigrans) is very similar, but the bark ridges are not shiny, the leaves usually have 2 leaflets at the end, and the fruits are nearly round. It is common in the same area of the Park.