Autumn conjures images of apple picking and pumpkin patches, but there's another native plant that deserves its moment in the sun: black walnut trees.

Perhaps most well known for the large green shells they drop into our backyards every fall, these trees can be found across the metro — more grow in MO than anywhere else in the world.

Why should I care?

A more apt name would be money trees. Though not as popular as their British cousins, every part of the Black Walnut tree has commercial uses in furniture, cosmetics, and most of all, food.

Folks wrestling with shells every time they mow are sitting on a tasty treasure trove. While there are specialty farms that cultivate them, most of Missouri's annual harvest of 12-16 million pounds (65% of the total US supply) is brought in by foragers.

Here's where to spot Juglans nigra, aka the eastern American black walnut. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

How to spot + where to hull

Seeing dollar signs yet? If you're interested in sharing your local harvest, regional producers like Hammons Black Walnuts are ready to buy.

Here's how to identify your haul:

Large leaves one to two-ft long, made of 11-23 leaflets
A large, straight grayish-brown or black trunk
Distinctive spicy smell
And most importantly — green, round husks 1½ to 2½ inches across that enclose a dark brown or black nut

Peak harvest season is here — aka September through October. When you're ready to go nuts, locate your nearest hulling station and sell your bounty anytime during October.

Other ways to enjoy

If you prefer to keep your walnuts to yourself or find your yard nut-free, no worries — there are more ways to enjoy these wild trees.

Interested in a taste test? Stop by your grocery store for a pint of Black Walnut ice cream, like Belfonte's version found at Sun Fresh.

Crafters can use the nut as a natural dye for yarn or for ink-making.

Have another favorite way to tend to or use one of the metro's most ubiquitous plants? Let us know and we may share it in a future newsletter.