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Butternut identification: leaves, bark, fruit and twigs
Butternut, Juglans cinerea, is a native tree in Pennsylvania. How to recognize it by its leaves, bark, fruit and twigs, and how to tell it from look-alikes.
Alternate, compound leaves. Compound leaves 15 to 25 inches long with 11 to 17 toothed leaflets and a well-formed end leaflet. Bark: Light ashy gray with flat-topped, shiny ridges in diamond patterns. Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
How to identify butternut
| Leaf type | Alternate, compound leaves |
|---|---|
| Leaves | Compound leaves 15 to 25 inches long with 11 to 17 toothed leaflets and a well-formed end leaflet. |
| Bark | Light ashy gray with flat-topped, shiny ridges in diamond patterns. |
| Fruit | Lemon-shaped nuts in a sticky yellow-green husk, with sweet, oily meat. |
| Twigs | Stout yellow-brown to gray twigs with chambered pith (the center is divided into small compartments). |
| Size and shape | Up to about 60 feet with a forked or crooked trunk and wide branches. |
From the Virginia Tech Dendrology fact sheet, in our own words.
Is butternut native to Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists butternut as native to Pennsylvania.
See all 140 trees, with a 4-question identifier, in our Pennsylvania tree identification guide.
Trees that look like butternut
| Tree | Its leaves |
|---|---|
| Black walnut Juglans nigra | Alternate, compound leaves. Compound leaves 12 to 24 inches long with 10 to 24 finely toothed leaflets; the end leaflet is often small or missing. |
| Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis | Alternate, compound leaves. Compound leaves 7 to 10 inches long with 7 to 11 narrow, toothed leaflets. |
| Tree-of-heaven Ailanthus altissima | Alternate, compound leaves. Huge compound leaves 1 to 3 feet long with 11 to 41 leaflets. |
Compare the leaves first, then the bark, fruit and twigs on each tree’s page.
Questions
How do you identify butternut?
Look for alternate, compound leaves. Compound leaves 15 to 25 inches long with 11 to 17 toothed leaflets and a well-formed end leaflet. Bark: Light ashy gray with flat-topped, shiny ridges in diamond patterns.
Is butternut native to Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists butternut as native to Pennsylvania.
How big does butternut get?
Up to about 60 feet with a forked or crooked trunk and wide branches.
How can you tell butternut in winter?
Check the twigs and bark. Twigs: Stout yellow-brown to gray twigs with chambered pith (the center is divided into small compartments). Bark: Light ashy gray with flat-topped, shiny ridges in diamond patterns.
What tree looks like butternut?
Black walnut, Bitternut hickory, Tree-of-heaven. Compare the leaves first.
Sources: Virginia Tech Dendrology (Juglans cinerea fact sheet); Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, PA Vascular Plant List (native or introduced status). Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
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