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1. 
   jonsherryl | Sep 21, 2002 07:38pm | #1

   California walnut is a common name for the west Coast species of walnut; Juglans Hindsii. This species is sometimes used as rootstock for grafting, where the scion used is the commercially more important Old World walnut (European walnut; Juglans regia.)

   Claro walnut is a trade name usually used for the beautifully variegated wood cut from the lower trunk of these grafted trees. It is a much prized wood for making fancy gunstocks. Unfortunately, lumber dealers sometimes get a little sloppy with this term and use it for stock that has been cut from wild California walnut trees (J. Hindsii)...This ordinary walnut is a fine cabinet wood and very similar to eastern black walnut, but it doesn't have the striking, variegated apperance of true "claro" walnut.