When the Spaniards settled California, they brought seedlings of walnuts from Mexico to plant as a food source and shade tree for their missionaries. “Claro” is a Spanish word meaning “bright” or “light,” most likely referring to the sapwood, which is nearly white. The heartwood is a distinctive café au lait color, although the innermost layers of claro walnut can have a medley of subtle colors including shades of brown, black, red, green, yellow, and even purple. The trees are only found between California and Washington state. They are most plentiful in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys of California, where there is a high water table and an abundance of rich topsoil.
Woodworkers love claro walnut, especially for larger pieces, because it can be found in slabs up to four feet thick. Many designers are familiar with the wild patterns of the wood from the work of George Nakashima, who used it in many of his pieces. Highly sought after but limited in supply, claro is also commercially critical as it is a vital rootstock for walnut orchards.
Energetically, claro walnut is associated with inner peace. It is an introspective wood that also helps block out negative energies.