 Claro Walnut (Juglans hindsii)
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Common Name(s): Claro Walnut, Bastogne Walnut, California Walnut Scientific Name: Juglans hindsii, Juglans californica Distribution: California Tree Size: 30-60 ft (9-18 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 40 lbs/ft3 (640 kg/m3) Hardness: 1,060 lbf (4,710 N)* *Estimated hardness based on specific gravity Rupture Strength: No data available* Elastic Strength: No data available* Crushing Strength: No data available* *Values most likely very similar to Black Walnut Shrinkage: Radial: 4.3%, Tangential: 6.4%, Volumetric: 10.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.5 |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a gray, purple, or reddish cast. Sapwood is nearly white. Wood from orchard trees that have been grafted with English Walnut (Juglans regia) may have a colorful/streaked appearance near the graft, which is sometimes referred to as “marbled Claro Walnut.”
Grain/Pore: Has a medium texture and mid-sized pores which may require filling for a smooth finish. The grain is usually straight, but can be irregular. Claro Walnut can occasionally also be found with figured grain patterns such as: curly, crotch, and burl.
Durability: Claro Walnut is rated as very durable in terms of decay resistance, though it is susceptible to insect attack.
Workability: Typically easy to work provided the grain is straight and regular. Planer tearout can sometimes be a problem when surfacing pieces with irregular or figured grain. Glues, stains, and finishes well, (though walnut is rarely stained).
Scent: Claro Walnut has a faint, mild odor when being worked.
Safety: Other species in the Juglans genus (such as Black, and English Walnut) have been reported as sensitizers, and Claro Walnut is likely to generate similar allergic reactions. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price/Availability: Plain, unfigured Claro Walnut is usually just slightly more expensive than Black Walnut, though curly, marbled, or burl figured wood is likely to be very expensive, and is highly sought after for gunstock and turning blanks.
Comments: Claro Walnut is a commercially important tree species that’s used as rootstock on walnut orchards. The robust roots of Juglans hindsii are well-suited to the California climate, and are combined with grafts of English Walnut (Juglans regia) to produce a higher yield of walnuts. The hybrid trees are sometimes called “Paradox” or “Bastogne Walnut.”
Some common uses for Claro Walnut include: furniture, cabinets, gunstocks, musical instruments, veneer, turned items, and other small wooden objects and novelties.
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Claro Walnut (sanded) |
 Claro Walnut (sealed) |
 Claro Walnut (marble) |
 Claro Walnut (foliage) |
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