Juglans nigra, the eastern black walnut, is a species of deciduous tree in the walnut family, Juglandaceae, native to eastern North America. It grows mostly in riparian zones, from southern Ontario, west to southeast South Dakota, south to Georgia, northern Florida, and southwest to central Texas. Wild trees in the upper Ottawa Valley may be an isolated native population or may have derived from planted trees.
Less common than the standard walnut wand, the black walnut wand seeks a master of good instincts and powerful insight. Black walnut is a very handsome wood, but not the easiest to master. It has one pronounced quirk, which is that it is abnormally attuned to inner conflict, and loses power dramatically if its possessor practices any form of self-deception. If the witch or wizard is unable or unwilling, to be honest with themselves or others, the wand often fails to perform adequately and must be matched with a new owner if it is to regain its former prowess. Paired with a sincere, self-aware owner, however, it becomes one of the most loyal and impressive wands of all, with a particular flair in all kinds of charmwork.
Black walnut is both less common and, somehow, even more, intense than walnut wood. It desires owners with, as Ollivander puts it, "instinct and powerful insight." If the owner is honest with themselves and is aware of both their shortcomings and virtues, this wand's power rises dramatically. The opposite is true as well. If the owner deceives themselves and ignores their faults and vices, this wand will become feeble and lethargic. This wand's reaction to doubt is even more dramatic, as it may try to 'play dead.'
A natural distrust of others is a common thread among black walnut owners. They are wary about falling in love and avoid what they deem as unnecessary emotional complications. When they do allow themselves to love, they do so with all their heart. Near endlessly faithful, they will do anything and everything for their loved ones. They are protective of things and people they consider theirs. They may have had issues sharing when they were younger, whether it be toys or friends. As they only consider at the most a few people as their friends, they can be a bit insecure about being replaced or forgotten.
Intelligent, these witches and wizards fare well in academics. Other people recognize and praise them for this, but might ignore the owner's other positive qualities in the process. This can lead the owner to feel they are only valued for their intelligence, or for how much they can help others. Feeling taken for granted or that people are abusing them for their intellectual gifts is, unfortunately, common among black walnut owners. Language intrigues them and they may have an obsession with words and wordplay. Due to their mental acuity, they are great at comebacks, sharp retorts, puns on the fly, improv, and any task involving writing.
Highly competitive, at their worst, they may unfairly cut down or bully the competition. This happens because the owner sees themselves as 'the smart person'–if they fail, then they are no longer 'smart' in their own eyes, which can cause an identity crisis of sorts. Though they pretend not to care about other people's opinions of them, they do care about whether people think they are worthy (which for them usually comes down to being 'smart'). With this in mind, they can be self-centered at times and only care about their own image or facade rather than how their actions to preserve it affect other people.
These witches and wizards often have a tendency to get headaches and migraines, which is (thankfully) reduced when paired with this wand. There is a talent with poisons, as well as with magic to do with containment and banishment. It is one of the best wands for charmwork. If paired with the right core, this wand can perform feats when it comes to healing the brain and mind.