More than 99% of the walnuts in the U.S. are grown in the fertile soils of California's Central Valley. Internationally, California supplies approximately one-half of the world's walnut trade.

California Walnuts have a mild and creamy flavour and soft consistency, making them an excellent choice for both sweet and savoury dishes.

6 Random Facts That You Didn't Know About Walnuts

• Walnuts are the oldest tree food.
• Walnuts aren't technically a nut at all.
• Walnuts are a great pregnancy food.
• Walnuts can help you fall asleep.
• Walnuts are good for your brain.
• Walnuts are a great food for diabetics.

Though relatively high in calories, walnuts are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, fats, and plant compounds that may help support good physical functioning as you age. A healthy diet that includes walnuts may help preserve physical function, such as walking and self-care abilities, as you age.

On the one hand, walnut is a very durable wood. It doesnt usually warp despite changes in humidity and heat, plus its rot-resistant. However, all wood deteriorates when exposed to the elements, so we recommend that you avoid placing walnut furniture outside.

Pros: Walnut is a very strong and stable wood that can take intricate carving. The color can be beautiful. Cons: Some may not like the variation from dark to light that's sometimes found on a single wide board. Walnut is also one of the more costly woods.

Walnuts are a nutrient-dense food that provides many health benefits. Incorporating walnuts into your diet can help promote heart health, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of obesity, and improve brain function. One way to eat walnuts is to snack on a handful of raw or toasted walnuts as a healthy snack.

Walnut trees need to be planted where they receive at least 8 hours of direct sunlight measured in early summer (late June to early August). Sufficient sun exposure triggers the initiation of new flower buds for the next growing season, without which there will be no fruit.

Walnut trees grow at a rate of 24 inches per year reaching 40 to 60 feet tall and can produce walnuts for more than 100 years. Walnuts have a formidable shell that resembles a human head, so ancient Greeks referred to them as karyon (meaning head).

Leaves are compound and arranged alternately along the stem. Mature trees may reach 50 feet in height and width and live more than 200 years, developing massive trunks more than eight feet thick.

In fact, walnut is considered one of the most luxurious non-exotic woods available for home furniture. Walnut is highly desired for its rich, chocolate-brown color, and lends a feeling of luxury to any space. Furthermore, walnut's durability makes it ideal for heirloom quality furniture that lasts for years to come.

In general, even conventionally grown walnuts show little pesticide residue on the shelled nut. However, pesticides used in non-organic walnut production are hazardous to farmworkers and to local ecology, so choose organic walnuts whenever possible or talk to your local walnut farmer about his/her growing practices.