Did you happen to see some of these articles on Black Walnut to see if your tree has any value? Then maybe you can tempt someone over at the woodworking forum or maybe they can direct you to some wood specialists in the area.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/YGLNews/YGLN-Sept0102.html#walnut

http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0044.html

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD0505.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Woodworking forum

We once lived in a house in Somerville with a huge black walnut in the side yard - the shade it provided the west side of the house was wonderful. The tree straddled the property line, with an empty lot on the othe side of the tree.

One day somebody knocked at my door offering to buy the tree, which I totally refused, even though the person at the door told me that the owner of the empty lot had agreed.

We finally sold the house and I don't think the new owner had been in it a month before the tree was gone - she was a money grubber.

All that said, I don't blame you for not wanting such a tree in the middle of a tiny backyard, first and foremost because you can't garden under it.

I agree with Loretta's suggestions, but would add that if you do get somebody to buy it and remove it, make it a contractual business deal, cross your t's and dot your i's, make sure everyone is covered by insurance, that they clean up totally, and perhaps even plant another more suitable tree in place of the black walnut, etc., etc., etc.

Let us know if you manage to sell it - I have a large black cherry that ought to go.

Hi all,

Thanks so much for your input! I'm going to check out Loretta's links now. I'll let you all know what comes of this. My husband's pretty set on keeping it this season for the shade. (I'm already psyching myself up for the Fall cleanup.)

It's funny; I didn't know what the tree was last summer (just after we bought the place) and I planted a rose bush, a lilac bush and yellowtwig dogwoods. The rose bush is dead. I thought the lilac was a goner too but it's sprouting growth (they're not supposed to do well with the Bl Walnut). The yellowtwigs are great even though I thought Dogwood wasn't supposed to fare well either. Perhaps it's the raised beds. We had dug out an old stone wall and needed something to do with all the extra dirt so we built two raised beds. I'm glad for that now!

Thanks again.

Hi Judy

Just to throw in my two cents I do garden under my black walnut, but it is more shade loving plants. Also black walnuts produce a chemical called juglone, which is poisonous to a number of plants. I think dogwood is one of them.

I live in the Watchung area and have 2 black walnut trees and need to get rid of them before someone is killed with a walnut. Have you found anyone to buy yours/ Please let me know.
Thank You

i'm resurrecting this thread since i've discovered that the three HUGE trees that must come down for our new build are black walnut. i'm sick to my stomach over having to lose them but we have no choice. to make matters worse, the wood floors i've specced for our house will be ...american black walnut. has anyone had any luck finding someone who will buy these? mine are about 100 ft tall. we're in colts neck.

There must be someone because I read reports about them being stolen.

the juglone is given off by the trees roots so it will take years for it to be gone from your soil after the tree is history.

I had 3 or 4 of those trees in a prior yard and they were very messy and a pain to garden around. Good luck selling the tree. Another option might be to pay to have it taken down and have the tree people leave you the trunk which you could then sell to furniture makers.

I would be happy to come look at any large trees for possible removal...as a part time wood worker it is a shame when these beautiful trees become firewood. I mght be able to take them down for free, unfortunately once you factor in removal, transportation, storage/drying and milling the cost far exceed the market price of the same species...thanks, Doug