Characteristics of some of the popular walnut cultivars grown in California
| Cultivar | Leaf date |
Growth habit | Bearing & yield | Harvest date | Net weight (g) | Shell | Kernel weight | % kernel | Kernel | Pollenizers | Notes & Assessments |
| Chandler | 4/4 | Moderately vigorous | Lateral bearing, strong yield | 10/8 | 13.2 |
Oval, smooth, light color, thin shell, becomes stronger in older trees |
6.5 | 49 | Extra light color, easy removal in halves, not well filled | Cisco, Franquette, Fernette | Most common variety, excellent color & halves, fewer pest problems, but relatively late harvest |
| Cisco | 4/14 | Smaller & more precocious than Franquette | Terminal bearing, moderate yield | 10/12 | 14.2 | Good seal & strength | 14.8 | 44 | Color can be variable, generally medium light | Used as a pollenizer for Chandler | Pollenizer variety only, for use with Chandler, Howard |
| Eureka | 3/28 | Vigorous | Terminal bearing, fair yield | 9/29 | 15.2 | Elongated and round at both ends, solid shell & seal | 7.4 | 49 | Poor kernal color | None recommended | Old mid-season variety with distinctive elongated nut shape |
| Fernette | 4/15 | Moderate vigor | Lateral bearing, good yield | 10/13 | 14.9 | Good strength | 7.5 | 50 | Light & extra light | Used as pollenizer for Chandler | Developed in France. Abundant pollen producer, more precocious than Franquette. |
| Forde | 3/30 | Moderate vigor | Lateral bearing, good yield | 10/8 | 15.5 | Strong shell, good strength & size | 8.1 | 52 | Plump, light color, good removal | Ivanhoe, Howard, Tulare | Females bloom before catkins, hulls don't open well at maturity, selected for blight resistance, late harvest |
| Franquette | 4/23 | Vigorous large tree | Terminal bearing, fair yield | 10/17 | 11 | Medium-thin shell with good seal | 5.5 | 50 | Good quality, light & extra light color | Used at pollenizer for Chandler | Old variety, late harvest, primarily used as pollenizer for Chandler & Hartley |
| Gillet | 3/25 | Moderately vigorous | Lateral bearing, strong yield | 9/27 | 15.2 | Large with good shell, seals can be weak | 7.7 | 51 | Light color & easy to remove | Payne, Vina, Serr | Newer mid-season variety with large nuts, some blight resistance |
| Hartley | 4/3 | Large tree | Terminal bearing, moderate yield | 10/4 | 14.3 | Classic in-shell shape | 6.5 | 45 | Preferred for in-shell use | Often no pollenizer used, Cicso, Franquette | Classic variety for sale in the shell, distinct triangular shape, susceptible to deep bark canker |
| Howard | 4/2 | Moderate, not as vigorous as Chandler in some locations | Lateral bearing, strong yield | 9/28 | 14.3 | Large, strong, good seal,can be a bit rough | 7.2 | 51 | Light color but darkens in storage | Cisco, Franquette, Fernette | Large nuts, often marketed as an in-shell variety, does not grow well in Jan Joaquin Valley, limb breakage |
| Ivanhoe | 3/17 | Fairly small to moderate tree | Lateral bearing, strong yield, very precocious | 9/13 | 12.8 | Smooth, thin shell | 7.3 | 57 | Extra light color, easy removal | Payne, Serr | Not resistant to blight, very early harvest date with excellent color, female bloom before catkins, recommended for San Joaquin Valley |
| Payne/Ashley | 3/18 | Precocious, moderate size, upright | Lateral bearing, moderate yield | 9/15 | 12.9 | Good strength & appearance | 6.4 | 50 | Light color, good quality, easy removal | Tehama, Chico, Hartley | Early harvest date, very susceptible to blight, DNA markers indicate Ashley & Payne are identical |
| Poe | 4/7 | Large | Terminal bearing, fair yield | 10/4 | 13.7 | Thick shell, not well filled | 5.6 | 41 | Small kernel marketable for flavor | None recommended | Unique variety grown in Lake Co, CA for its flavor |
| Robert Livermore | 4/3 | Moderate, similar to Chandler | Lateral bearing, moderate yield | 9/29 | 12.9 | Solid, moderately small & dark | 6.4 | 50 | Red kernel skin | Cisco, Franquette, Fernette | Kernels with distinctive uniform red skin color |
| Serr | 3/20 | Very vigorous | Moderately fruitful on laterals, yield variable | 9/19 | 14.4 | Thin shell, good seal, well filled | 8.1 | 56 | Light color & excellent quality | pollenizers not recommended | High quality and potential high productivity but susceptible to flower drop if exposed to excess pollen |
| Sexton | 3/26 | Densely branched canopy, flowers in clusters common | Lateral bearing, good yield, very precocious | 10/1 | 15.6 | Large, smooth, round, good strength | 8.3 | 53 | Large, light color and easy to remove from shell | Covers itself well, Chandler, Howard, Tulare | Unusual forked branch habit & cluster flowering |
| Solano | 3/28 | Moderate, similar to Chandler, upright | Lateral bearing, strong yield | 9/24 | 14.6 | Good strength & appearance, suitable for in-shell use | 7.9 | 54 | Light & extra light color, good removal | Chandler, Howard, Tulare | Vina timing with better color & upright growth habit |
| Sunland | 3/20 | Vigorous | Lateral bearing, variable yield | 9/27 | 17.9 | Well filled, large, oval, solid shell | 9.8 | 55 | good quality, large, plump & oval | Chico, Tehama & Tulare | Potential for high productivity but susceptible nut drop & oilless nuts |
| Tehama | 3/31 | Vigorous | Lateral bearing, heavy | 9/25 | 14.1 | Solid shell, can have weak seals | 6.8 | 48 | Light color, not well filled | Used at a pollenizer for Serr | Primarily a pollenizer for Serr |
| Tulare | 4/1 | Upright, vigorous | Lateral bearing, strong yield | 9/28 | 14.1 | Medium texture & strength | 7.6 | 53 | Light color, good fill | Often planted with no pollenizer | Vigorous growth, good mid-season yield, upright canopy; susceptible to fall & winter cold temperatures |
| Vina | 3/26 | Moderate size, not upright, tendency to over-bear | Lateral bearing, strong yield | 9/23 | 12.6 | Good seal & strength, can be used in-shell | 6.2 | 49 | Often color is not adequate | Chico, Chandler, Tehama, Howard | Highly productive but reputation for inadequate kernel color & branch structure |