Franquette

Franquette is a classic French English-walnut cultivar of great historical importance, long the standard variety in France and widely planted in Oregon and other cool-summer regions. It is very late to leaf out, which makes it one of the most reliable walnuts for areas with late spring frosts and gives it good tolerance of walnut blight. Franquette is terminal-bearing, so yields are more modest than modern lateral-bearing types, but the nuts are of excellent flavor and quality with well-filled, light kernels. It is also one of the most important pollinizers for other cultivars such as Chandler because its late pollen shed matches their late bloom. Hardy and dependable, Franquette remains a favorite for home orchards and permaculture plantings in cooler climates.