(Juglans ailantifolia var. cordiformis) have a valentine heart shaped nut and kernel. The tree is very pretty with lush foliage even more tropical looking the Ailanthus, tree of heaven. Hulling heartnut is easy. They are an easy addition to one's diet because they are easy to grow, crack out of their hull and delicious. Heartnuts store very well. In fact they improve on their flavor reminiscent to the taste of Brazil nuts.

Heartnuts are very hardy and mature trees are growing in Montreal with some winter damage. Heartnut trees are low headed, spreading laterally from a single short trunk. They are much more ornamental than the American Black Walnut, which is erect and lanky. Heartnuts are the most disease resistant trees of the walnut family and should hold their leaves well into fall.

Heartnuts are adaptable to soil types and survive even in soils with a rich moist soil top, with high water table, hard pan or bedrock or cold subsoil underneath. Heartnuts cast @ 70% shade. They make an excellent shade tree. Plant trees 30' apart.