Jesse Saylor
Family
Fagaceae
Botanical Name
Castanea dentata
Plant Common Name
American Chestnut
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
A massive deciduous tree, the American chestnut has bristled leaves and sweet edible nuts. Native to the interior eastern United States, it is a slow-growing, broad and round-canopied tree that has gray to grayish-brown bark. It also occurs in Canada's southern Ontario, making it the nation's only native chestnut. Since the 1930s, this species has been devastated by chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica), so severely that remaining plants resprout from their trunks to merely form large thicket shrubs. This susceptibility to the blight keeps plants from reaching a maturity to flower and set viable seeds.
The leaves are simple (no lobes), oblong in shape with a tapered point and edges with triangular teeth that end in like an awn. In early summer, the branches are filled with flowers in stiff and slender upright light yellow strings called catkins that emit a foul odor. Male flowers are at the tips of the catkin, and the female blossoms nearer the base traditionally develop into large, attractive fruits that are brutally spiny and colored light green. Inside each bur are three shiny brown edible nuts that are ripe by early autumn. Fall foliage color is an array of yellow to gold tones.
American chestnut grows in full to partial sun situations in a moist, well-drained clay or loam. Once established it handles dry conditions well and performs much better in regions with long hot summers. It is no longer recommended (or quite frankly available) as an option for a large shade tree with added delight of edible nuts for use in North America.
The chestnuts most often harvested and sold for roasting come from the Spanish chestnut, Castanea sativa.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 8
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Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
60'-100' / 18.3m - 30.5m
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Width
70'-120' / 21.3m - 36.6m
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Bloom Time
Early Summer
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Native To
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Clay, Loam
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Growth Rate
Slow
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Oval/Rounded
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Flower Color
Light Yellow, Gold
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Fruit Color
Light Green, Sienna, Chocolate
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Yellow, Yellow Green, Gold
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Bark Color
Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
Yes
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
Yes
