Persian walnut (Juglans regia) in Latvia
Persian walnut (Juglans regia) evaluation and selection project to obtain Northern Europe climate-adapted cultivars with good nut size, productive, and healthy trees. The goal is to select the best-adapted seedlings for local conditions.
Nuts
Trunk issues and variety (gallery)
Walnuts Latvia. Finland 2023 Tuorlan pähkinäseminaariin 21.10
Walnuts (J.regia) in Latvia: a short history
Actually, Latvia is home to a significant number of walnuts. Most of the trees are found in the western part of the country, but I am increasingly finding them in the eastern part of Latvia, which experiences quite harsh winters. The oldest trees, I guess, is older than 100 years. Some trees in quite old age have been frozen down to earth and then grown back.
- Most of the trees are propagated by seed on site (up to the 1990s), or the youngest trees (from about 2000) have been bought from nurseries as seedlings. Seed origin: Ukraine, Moldova, Caucasus, and middle Asia. Only a few trees have a Western European origin.
- Oldest trees have experienced very cold temperatures during winters (-30 to -40 °C)
- A lot of the youngest trees (after 1991) come from Gunvaldis Vesmiņš (1931-2017) nursery. Second-generation Moldavian walnuts.
- Some local origin second-generation trees are very promising as a potential variety for propagation by grafting. Today (2023) still no one graft walnuts in Latvia
- There are some selected walnut trees from Dobele horticulture institute/ Upitis third generation trees with very big nuts, but there are only two known trees in a private garden. Today no scientist continues this work there.
- Nut bearing started from y7 to y20, with an average number 12. In coastline areas vegetation season is shifted by two to three weeks. Nut harvest times vary from the beginning of September to October
- No pests and diseases that affect harvest. Younger trees suffer from late spring frosts. Main pests are crows and, in some places, squirrels.
- I could wish the better pruning and care for one leader. If there is a space, then trees grow very wide.
- There are a few walnut orchards with the aim of being commercial. The first one could start to have nut production in 2025 on a small commercial scale.
- Today, in the plant market possible to buy some locally propagated walnuts from private persons (very small scale), imported plants from Poland.
- There are some small-scale experimental plantings with Moldavian-origin grafted walnuts.
- Almost all walnut trees grow on private properties and are not publicly accessible.
Nut selection, one nut from each tree
Distribution map
Commercial walnut orchard Latvia
