Walnut trees and cyanide
Calvin Sambrook
I've been getting advice that one should not compost walnut
leaves as they contain cyanide. Is this true?
We've got rhubarb growing under one! What about eating that?
Any advice would be appreciated as the books seem silent on this.
--
calvin
Nick Maclaren
Nuts - whale nuts, in fact :-)
I doubt that the leaves contain much cyanide but, even if they do,
so do many vegetable products (e.g. peach kernels). Low concentrations
of cyanide will be broken down by bacteria in the usual way.
Anyway, rhubarb is FAR more poisonous than peach kernels - it contains
large quantities of oxalic acid, and the leaves contain a lethal
amount. Someone is winding you up.
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QG, England.
Email: nm...@cam.ac.uk
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679
John Ashley
>Can anyone help me with the full story about walnut trees?
>
We've got rhubarb growing under one! What about eating that?
I suggest move the rhubarb as it needs more light anyway to grow well.
BTW rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid which is toxic.
Some nut trees like almonds contain benzaldehyde or aldehydes which smell
of bitter almonds. Walnuts contain henna dye in the shells and husks, but
not heard of cyanide in them.
--
John Ashley
Jo...@sonamc.demon.co.uk
Compuserve 100522,2461
"Seek and Ye Shall Find!"
PGP Public Key available on request.
wood...@nwlink.com
Calvin Sambrook <10073...@CompuServe.COM> wrote:
>Can anyone help me with the full story about walnut trees?
>
>leaves as they contain cyanide. Is this true?
>
>>>
you've been getting is that walnut trees seem to have a self-protection
mechanism that keeps other plants from growing in their vicinity.
I don't personally know if this is true, but I've read it in some
reputable books. The idea is that walnut trees poison the ground
around them somehow so that other plants don't succeed.
If this is true, and if the leaves are the source of the poison, you
would not want to compost them.
Phil Whitehead
Plants as diverse as cherry laurel and clover produce cyanide in varying
amounts. Indeed it was recomended to schoolboys who wished to collect
insects tha they should kill them by placing them in a glass jar containing
laurel leaves.
As for the effects on composting, the bacteria will have no trouble
metabolising this and the many other phytotoxic compounds present, and will
continue to produce lots of lovely organic matter for you to use.
Please dont let us get swamped by the paranoia which seems to affect
American gardeners aboutwhat should and should not be composted. If its
organic chuck it in and let the bugs sort it all out for you
phil whitehead
Dunkley
oxalic acid rom the rhubarb won'treacr with the cyanide in the Walnut and
release hydrogen cyanide :-) :-) Then you would have problems.
It interesting because I have been following a thread about Black walnuts
and their effect on surrounding vegetation on one of my mailing lists. Lot
of interest about them at the moment
syxsho...@gmail.com
> Can anyone help me with the full story about walnut trees?
>
> I've been getting advice that one should not compost walnut
> leaves as they contain cyanide. Is this true?
> We've got rhubarb growing under one! What about eating that?
>
> Any advice would be appreciated as the books seem silent on this.
>
> calvin
i have herd rumors that when the nut dies (walnut) it produces cyanide so if they are decomposing in your yard i would watch what you grow.
Nick Maclaren
>On Tuesday, April 16, 1996 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, Calvin Sambrook wrote:
>
>> Can anyone help me with the full story about walnut trees?
>>
>> I've been getting advice that one should not compost walnut
>> leaves as they contain cyanide. Is this true?
>> We've got rhubarb growing under one! What about eating that?
>>
>> Any advice would be appreciated as the books seem silent on this.
>
>cyanide so if they are decomposing in your yard i would watch
>what you grow.
Cyanide is produced by many plants, especially the Rosaceae,
and biodegrades very fast indeed. The toxin produced by the
black walnut is not produced by the common walnut in quantity,
and is entirely produced by the roots. Walnut leaves compost
as readily as most others, and food grown under walnuts is fine
to eat.
Just remember, boys, girls and chickens, that the expression The
Web Of A Million Lies is a gross underestimate.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
David Hill
> Just remember, boys, girls and chickens, that the expression The
> Web Of A Million Lies is a gross underestimate.
Martin Brown
> On Tuesday, April 16, 1996 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, Calvin Sambrook wrote:
>> Can anyone help me with the full story about walnut trees?
The walnut produces a toxic compound called juglone that will stunt the
growth of many other plants within the root run of the tree. But it is a
substituted naphthoquinone *not* cyanide. See
http://www.forestry.uga.edu/outreach/pubs/pdf/forestry/Walnut%20Allelopathy%2011-10.pdf
>>
>> I've been getting advice that one should not compost walnut
>> leaves as they contain cyanide. Is this true?
together to make leaf mould since too many of the contain inhibitors
against fungi and bacteria that will stall a hot compost heap.
Plenty of things in the garden contain cyanide or glycocides or worse.
Bamboo shoots and apple pips for instance. This time of year one of the
more deadly things are the beautiful autumn crocus colchicums.
>> We've got rhubarb growing under one! What about eating that?
If it grows then it is fine. Some plants will not grow in close
proximity to an established walnut tree.
>> Any advice would be appreciated as the books seem silent on this.
>>
>> --
>> calvin
>
> i have herd rumors that when the nut dies (walnut) it produces cyanide so if they are decomposing in your yard i would watch what you grow.
people repeating them in total ignorance.
--
Regards,
Martin Brown
Fuschia
- Charles Dickens.