By contrast, black walnut seems to be resistant to the disease. Bunch disease also attacks butternut. Currently, the causal agent is thought to be a mycoplasmalike organism. Symptoms include a yellow witches'broom resulting from sprouting and growth of axillary buds that would normally remain dormant. Special Uses Cultivars of this species have been selected for nut size and for ease of cracking and extracting kernels.
Nuts are especially popular in New England for making maple-butternut candy.
Small amounts of wood are used for cabinets, toys, and novelties. It also crosses with Japanese walnut J. ailantifolia Carr. to produce J. x bixbyi Rehd. Reports of crosses between butternut and black walnut have not been substantiated. Butternut is thought to have a haploid chromosome number of 16. Literature Cited Anderson, R. L., and L. A. LaMadeleine. 1978.