Chicken Claw Soft-shell Walnuts

Chicken Claw Soft-shell Walnuts

　　【Chicken Claw Soft-shell Walnuts】 The history of walnut cultivation in the southern mountainous area of Licheng District dates back over 600 years. Through generations of careful farming, they gradually

　　evolved and mutated to form the unique “Chicken Claw Soft-shell Walnuts” of Licheng.

　　 These walnuts have short fruiting branches (5–10 cm), shaped like chicken claws, and exhibit strong continuous fruiting ability. The nuts are round or oval in shape, with smooth surfaces,

　　uniform size, thin shells, and thick kernels, boasting a kernel yield of over 40%. The kernel skin is pale yellowish-white, with an oil content of more than 70%. When eaten raw, they are not astringent,

　　have a crisp and fragrant texture, and are suitable for various food processing applications, making them a premium-grade walnut.

　　 Chicken Claw Soft-shell Walnuts thrive in deep, fertile soil. Over the generations, fruit farmers have used sexual seed propagation—that is, growing seedlings from seeds. Once the seedlings mature,

　　they are transplanted in autumn or early spring to terraced field edges, near woods and courtyards, or along riverbanks. They begin bearing fruit between 6 to 10 years of age, classifying them as a late-bearing variety. Typically, a single tree can yield over 50 kilograms. In recent years, Licheng’s annual walnut production has been around 1.25 million kilograms, accounting for one-third of the province’s total output. Chicken Claw Soft-shell Walnuts are exported to Europe,

　　with an annual foreign trade export volume of approximately 600,000 to 900,000 kilograms. In 1987, the total production was 1.0847 million kilograms, with 591,600 kilograms exported.

　　Tai’an City’s Taishan District, suburban areas, and locations such as Laiwu are also major walnut-producing regions in Shandong. In Wangjiazhuangzi Village at Xiagang Township at the northeastern foot of Mount Tai, there is a walnut tree over 200

　　 years old, with a canopy covering 500 square meters, a trunk circumference of over 3 meters, and an annual dry fruit yield of about 250 kilograms. It is known as the “Walnut King.”

　　In 1986, Taishan District and the suburban areas of Tai’an City produced over 400,000 kilograms of walnuts, with an export rate of around 25%.

　　In 1986, Tai'an City's Taishan District and suburban areas produced over 400,000 kilograms of walnuts, with an export rate of around 25%.