Mature Height of a Payne Walnut Tree

Tree Size

• Payne walnut is a moderate-size, vigorously growing tree with a rounded canopy. The tree is a self-fruitful variety that does not require a second tree for pollination and fruit set. Mature Payne walnut tree have a height of about 40 feet. Trees produce a heavy harvest and require a moderate to heavy pruning to prevent overbearing. Appropriate pruning is essential for continual vigor of the orchard.

Background

• The Payne walnut tree is the result of the seedlings grown in Santa Clara County, California, in the George Payne Orchard in 1898. Since then the variety has become among the standards in walnut production in the state. By 1992, the variety composed nearly 21,870 acres in California with nearly 250 acres of young, non-bearing trees. Tree nuts are medium-size and firmly sealed, with each kernel weighing about 5.7 grams.

Productivity

• The high fruit production of Payne walnut trees are due to 90 percent of the lateral buds on the shoots being fruitful, cites David E. Ramos in "Walnut Production Manual." The early maturing fruit is ready to harvest between late August and early September. The high productivity also occurs from the pollen shedding period coinciding well with the pistillate flower reception. However, the early flowering period of the tree makes the blooms prone to the spring frost damage in areas with cold winters.

Growth Requirements

• All Persian walnut tree varieties grow best in areas that have mild winters and hot, dry summers. Mediterranean type climates produce optimal growth. The trees are not very cold-hardy and trees growing in California are tolerant of low temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The tree requires a well-drained, deep, silt loam with a pH ranging between 6.0 and 8.0.