Majestic Black Walnut

“Willy the Walnut”

WINNER OF 2023 MAJESTIC TREE WEEK

  • Stats

    Location: Located outside Michaelbook Hall off of Linfield Ave. across from Murdock Hall.

    Height: 71.4 ft

    Board Feet: 5,098.0

    Green Weight: 35,285.7 kg

    Dry Weight: 17,642.8 kg

    Carbon Sequestered ~8821.4 kg

    Trunk Circumference: 207 in

  • Majestic Qualities

    Black walnut trees (Juglans nigra) are not native to Oregon. They are primarily native to the eastern and central United States, ranging from the eastern Great Plains to the Atlantic coast, and from the Gulf of Mexico north to the southern parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada.

    Black walnut trees produce a chemical compound called juglone, which is toxic to many other plant species. This chemical is found in various parts of the tree, including the leaves, bark, and roots. It inhibits the growth of nearby plants and can make it challenging to grow certain crops near black walnut trees.

    Black walnut trees provide food and shelter for various wildlife species. Linfield squirrels, in particular, are known to harvest and cache walnuts for winter food supplies.

  • Backstory

    While we all know about Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory, have you heard of his great ancestor Willy Walnut? Instead of being known for his mysterious factory, he is known for his luscious leaves and tall branches. Where instead of inviting ungrateful kids to his chocolate factory, he feeds passerby squirrels and the occasional Linfield dorm rabbit. If you, too, are a fan of chaos and stirring up the drama, vote Willy as the most majestic of the trees!

    Willy’s hobbies include throwing walnuts at students passing by, making a mess with leaves that facilities have to clean literally every … single … day … and birdwatching.

Endorsed by:

To add your name to this tree’s supporters, hit the button below to email the MTW team!

  • “It’s the first and tallest tree you see on Linfield Ave. He towers over others.”

    - Fackler Construction

  • “LUP lovesss Willy!”

    - Linfield United and Pride

  • "We love a good old soul, Willy represents that for us.”

    - Memory Den PDX

  • “Willy helps our emotional wellbeing… so does coffee.”

    - On Campus Starbucks

  • “Willy helps keep squirrels out of the Dillin trash cans, Thanks Willy <3”

    - Dillin Dining Hall & Sodexo Team

  • “It’s beautiful & makes beautiful furniture!”- Andrew McKechnie

  • Linfield’s Director of Admission Counselor Lisa Knodle-Bragiel

  • Oregon State University Kappa Sigma

  • “I believe that’s the black walnut should be the winner due to how it helps provides a home to the squirrels, and feeds the local wildlife on campus. Although other trees that are a part of the majestic tree voting provides these same qualities, the black walnut tree is not a native tree to the Pacific Northwest. This creates a unique diversity and ecosystem to our beautiful campus and our community. By having the black walnut tree we are able to learn and observe how this tree reacts in a different climate than its native climate.”- Cierra Marshall