The black walnut

[SPKmes]

I have one of these in my yard. (actually I thought it was just a messy tree for 2 years before I decided to check if I was able to chop it down without consequences). The fruit is starting to fall now and from what i have read, you need to wait for a bit before peeling off the husk.
 Can anybody tell me when and what to look for as I found one that had been off the tree for some time peeled it back and cracked it but the nut was still not ready.

[E25280]

Forget how to Google?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans_nigra

The husk is best removed when green as the nuts taste better if it is removed then . . . The black walnut’s husks are known to leave durable, hard to remove stains on hands and clothing.

Before eating or storage, the nuts should be cured in a dry place for at least two weeks.

We had two black walnut trees in the back yard when I was growing up.  The only thing we found it useful for was baseball practice, as we could not afford proper baseballs and the green fruits were almost the size and as hard.

Squirrels loved them, though.  But then, they have the teeth for it.

[SPKmes]

cheers. I did google originally never got wiki though... go the wiki.

[DREDIOCK]

I have one of these in my yard. (actually I thought it was just a messy tree for 2 years before I decided to check if I was able to chop it down without consequences). The fruit is starting to fall now and from what i have read, you need to wait for a bit before peeling off the husk.
 Can anybody tell me when and what to look for as I found one that had been off the tree for some time peeled it back and cracked it but the nut was still not ready.

I'd leave it alone.
The walnut trees have been pretty decimated in this country.
I remember seeing them all over the place when I was a kid. I havent seen one now for many years

[68valu]

Black walnut trees, unlike the english walnut are a non grafted naturally ocurring tree. English walnuts(the common eating variety) are engineered for commercial harvest and thus have been developed for easy husking as well as large nut size.

The black walnut has to be left to fall from the tree and the inner shell should be thoroughly dry before cracking or the nut will be bitter.The nut inside will be small and full of worms frequently.

Makes beautiful wood for tables though!

Or baseball substitutes!

[oakranger]

Take a pic of the bark, twig, frut and leaf.  I can tell you what it is/

[bsdaddict]

My folks had a black walnut tree in their yard.  It was pretty huge, prolly 3ft. diameter at the base and well over 100 ft. tall.  Anyhoo, some tree guy PAID THEM a couple grand for the privilege of cutting it down and hauling away the wood.  Apparently black walnut lumber is worth some $$$, something you may want to consider...

[wooly15]

I just cut one down in my yard that had been dead for several years and people were coming out of the woodwork(no pun intended) asking for the wood.  The thing was at least 100 years old and 3 feet in diameter.  Apparently they are very popular with gun  makers.  As for the alive variant...had one at my last house and the darn thing was no more than hazard to your ankles.  Those walnuts were vicious.