We’re often asked about planting under Black Walnut trees, as the trees present a unique challenge for gardeners. Black Walnut trees produce a chemical called hydrojuglone, which is found in the leaves, stems, fruit hulls, inner bark and roots. When exposed to the air or soil, hydrojuglone is oxidized into the chemical juglone. Juglone is toxic to a number of plants, but there are also many plants that are resistant to the toxins.
Explore these juglone tolerant plants at prairienursery.com, where you can filter your search by the parameters that are meaningful to you.
Amsonia tabernaemontana (Common Bluestar)
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger)
Aster spp. (Aster)
Carex spp. (Sedges)
Campanula americana (Tall Bellflower)
Caulophyllum thalictroides (Blue Cohosh)
Clematis virginiana (Virgin’s Bower)
Conoclinium coelestinum (Mistflower)
Eupatorium purpureum (Sweet Joe Pye Weed)
Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian)
Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium)
Helianthus divaricatus (Woodland Sunflower)
Hydrophyllum virginianum (Waterleaf)
Iris versicolor (Northern Blue Flag Iris)
Iris shrevei (Wild Iris of Virginia Iris)
Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris)
Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)
Maianthemum racemosum (Solomon’s Plume)
Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)
Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot)
Monarda didyma (BeeBalm)
Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s Seal)
Phlox divaricata (Wild Blue Phlox)
Polimonium reptans (Jacob’s Ladder)
Rudbeckia subtomentosa (Sweet Black Eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia triloba (Brown Eyed Susan)
Sanguinaria canadenses (Bloodroot)
Sedum ternatum (Stonecrop)
Solidago caesia (Bluestemmed Goldenrod)
Solidago flexicaulis (Zig Zag Goldenrod)
Solidago ohioensis (Ohio Goldenrod)
Thalictrum dioicum (Early Meadowrue)
Trillium spp.
Uvularia grandiflora (Bellwort)
Viola spp. (Violet species)
FERNS
Adiantum pedatum (Maidenhair Fern)
Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern)
Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Hayscented Fern)
Dryopteris marginalis (Marginal Wood Fern)
Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern)
Osmunda cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)
SHRUBS
Clematis virginiana (Virgin’s Bower)
Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood)
Corylus americana (American Hazelnut)
Hamamelis virginiana (Common WitchHazel)
Rhus glabra (Smooth sumac)
Big Leaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus) is just one of several ground cover plant options that are juglone tolerant.
No Mow Lawn also grows well under walnut trees, as shown under a group of Walnut trees.