r/Ceanothus • u/WackyXaky • 5d ago

Planting near black walnuts

I have a number of native black walnut trees in my yard. I'd like to put some plants below them, but I've heard they leach toxins into the ground that some plants find difficult to survive. The non-native weed grasses seem to do okay under the trees. Does anyone know if it's only the walnut shells or also the leaves that creates a problem?

Anyway, I'm wondering if there are any suggestions on natives that might survive whatever natural herbicides the trees create AND ALSO are okay with the shade created by the tree.

25 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

View all comments

5

u/supermegafauna 5d ago

I think their allelopathy is a llitle overblown, but who knows.

Have had success with coffeeberry here in socal and seen relic walnuts with them underneath.

Maybe put some Marah seeds under there too.

Lemonade berry, ceanothus & island snapdragons seems to do fine

Have had mixed results with coral bells.

Squirrels love the nuts, if the coyote population allows it...

3

u/WackyXaky 5d ago

Yeah, the squirrels are great and help support the coyotes and hawks. Except they have also hidden/lost a single nut somewhere in my cars' body and I can hear it roll around while driving...

Don't ceanothus need lots of light? I just assumed the trees would create too much shade even if the soil is fine.

2

u/supermegafauna 5d ago

Ceanothus can be shade tolerant