Chestnut (Castanea spp.)

Full sun. Zone 4-8. Chestnut does well under hot, dry conditions.

 

Prefers acidic well-drained loamy soil but might tolerate clay if well-drained (on a slope or ridge). Tolerates dry soil once established, but will produce larger nuts with irrigation. Chestnuts need better drainage than apples.

 

A large nut tree of rounded form with attractive leathery leaves averaging 40 feet tall and wide. The nuts are borne in clusters in a spiny husk.

Need 2 trees for cross-pollination. Most named varieties are pollen sterile, meaning that they won’t pollinate another tree.

 

Plant chestnuts in groves or nut orchards or in large open landscapes as specimens or nut bearing timber trees, depending on variety. Prefers slopes and ridges. Not recommended for lowlands or high humidity areas.

 

The nuts are highly valued for drying, roasting, fresh eating, or grinding into highly nutritious chestnut flour. Good wildlife or livestock food.

 

‘Big Tree #1’, ‘Big Tree #2’, ‘Campbell’, ‘North tree’, ‘South Tree’ – Seedlings from trees selected by Bob Stehli of the Northern Nut Growers for their use in timber. Nuts are similar to American Chestnuts and quite tasty. The trees are hybrids that should be blight resistant. – unavailable

‘Dunston Hybrid’ – It takes two Dunston Hybrids to cross-pollinate. These chestnuts were the first Chinese-American cross to be successful, and marketed in the mid-60’s. 25 Available

Chinese – 2 Available

 

$30.00 / 3 gal, $39.00 / 5 gal.