Black Walnut
Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra) is also known as American Walnut. Walnuts have been recognizes as one of the oldest tree foods known to man, dating back to about 7000 B.C.. The black walnut is a hardwood tree that frequently grows to a height of one hundred feet with a trunk diameter of up to six feet. It grows in many of North America as well as Europe. Black walnut drupes contain juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) plumbagin (yellow quinone pigments), and tanin. The brownish-black dye was used by early settlers to dye hair. Extracts of the outer soft part of the drupe are used as a natural dye for and the tannins present in walnuts act as a mordant aiding in the dyeing process and are usable as a dark ink or wood stain.