Distinguishing walnuts

I'm still on the walnut question, since I have a volunteer growing in a pretty good location. My question really is: how can I tell if it's a black walnut? I intend to develop a border in that area, and I want to make sure my new plants have a chance to live.

Should I just dig out the tree?

Dig it out, pot it up, and observe it further in a remote location from the border you want to develop. Best of both worlds...

I've got grass, bindweed, dandelions and blackberry growing close around it -- is that evidence that things I actually want will grow?

The tree is already 8 feet tall, that's why I'm resisting uprooting it.

Hi Turtles. Oregon is a long way west of Black Walnut's natural range. -

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=juglans+nigra+range&id=BBBD31291AF03F3EFDA931B7D35557FC89F9ECDE&FORM=IQFRBA

It is also easy to distinguish Juglans Nigra (Black Walnut), the leaves smell like walnuts when they're crushed. Somebody told me this awhile back and it works. But, feel free to count the leaflets and whatnot. - http://forestry.about.com/cs/treeid/a/the_walnut.htm

You likely have something else. There are many trees with leaves similar to Juglans nigra. I'd rather not like to be castigated for casting my paid-membership opinion but my guess is you have the common weed tree and wind blown seed from Ailanthus Altissima (Tree-Of-Heaven). I'm not feeling too good about putting in my 2 cents anymore. - http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ailanthus+altissima+range&go=Submit&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=ailanthus+altissima+range&sc=0-22&sp=-1&sk= It has a more smooth whitish bark and of course the leaves don't smell like walnuts when you crush them up.

Several sites I see name Blackberries as one that won't grow under a Walnut tree. - http://lib.oh.us/tree/fact%20pages/walnut_black/walnut_black.html Go to the last sentence of the paragraph. That's Ohio but there is nothing to display for Oregon because that isn't it's natural range. As some have said a picture is worth a thousand words. Hope ya find out what it is Turtles.

Thank you shortleaf, that helps a lot.

Fortunately, I have ascertained that it is not tree of hellaven.

Your welcome, Turtles. Great, Tree-Of-Heaven isn't considered a valuable tree, glad to see you realize that. Btw, sorry about my disparaging remarks about opinions, they weren't directed at you.
Sorry somebody who fancies himself knowledgeable about trees (and abbreviations for states) up there couldn't soberly mention J. nigra doesn't occur naturally in OR earlier. Not all of us know there is more than one Springfield. Come visit us sometime, Turtles, I hang out fairly often in the Central Midwest forum. If you do post a picture, there's a good chance you'll get it's identity, there's usually some very knowledgeable members here who are friendly too.

Well, after looking at many more pictures - the links were great - I am no longer sure that it is not A. altissima. But definitely hopeful.

I had forgotten that all walnuts (Juglans) produce juglone, just that J. nigra produces more. On with the research.

Turtles,
Down south here in Grassy Pants, OR we have walnuts growing and I have not tried to ascertain if any are Black walnuts. But, In the years I lived in the Eugene/Springfield area I don't remember ever seeing a Black walnut. For what it's worth, that was a few decades ago. In Lorane a neighbor tried to grow English walnuts and did not have any success but I do not know what his soil conditions etc. etc. were.

Thanks, OrBM. That seems to fit.