Marco Belpoliti and Anita Romanello on the Walnut Tree in 'Alberi e frutta. Noce'

Marco Belpoliti and Anita Romanello co-authored 'Alberi e frutta. Noce', published on Doppiozero on Thursday, 10 September 2026 at 03:00. The piece examines the walnut tree as a solitary species, typically found atop a hill or beside a house rather than in woodland. Its roots contain juglandin, a reddish substance that kills plants growing nearby, which the authors link to various legends surrounding the tree. Walnut trees grow between 10 and 40 metres tall, are leafy, and can live easily up to two hundred years. Peasants once claimed that if the roots penetrated beneath stables they caused livestock to waste away, and that sleeping under the tree's branches or in its shade would bring severe headaches to men and women. Scientifically named Juglans, the tree belongs to the Juglandaceae family, comprising trees and large shrubs of the order Fagales. Its name derives from Latin: Iovis glans, meaning the acorn of Jupiter, a gift from the king of Olympus. The authors note that the best-known variety, appreciated for its edible gifts, is the walnut.