Male and female flowers
The walnut is a monoecious plant. So the tree bears both male and female flowers.
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Male flowers in portrait
The male flowers are also called catkins. They are arranged in long, cylindrical and pendulous catkins and usually open in April or May. In terms of color, the male flowers are presented in a pretty mix of green and yellow. They are very noticeable - but more because of the thick inflorescences than the color. The male flowers of the walnut are usually six to twelve centimeters long. It is extremely interesting that they develop from the axillary buds of the leaves from the previous year.
For those who want to know exactly: Every single male flower consists of
- three to six tepals,
- two pages and
- a support sheet.
These envelop the up to 40 stamens that lie inside.
Female flowers in portrait
The female flowers appear very inconspicuous. They are always at the end of this year's, i.e. current shoots - either in pairs or in clusters of up to five flowers - and usually come four weeks after the kittens.
Here, too, a more detailed portrait for the botanical enthusiast:
- 10 to 15 mm long
- 5 to 10 mm wide
- four-part perigone
- Bracts and bracts (initially form a hairy cover)
- lower, two-leaved ovary
- two conspicuous, feathery scar lobes
- a short stylus
Note: The two-part stylus brings the two scar flaps into the correct position for fertilization. At first the scars are shiny green, later they are reddish in color.
Type of pollination
The flowers are pollinated by the wind. In technical jargon, one speaks of anemophilia in this context.
Time of first flowering
As a rule, a walnut tree flowers for the first time around 15 to 20 years. That is why there is no fruit to be harvested beforehand.