American Sweet Chestnut
Castanea dentata

Family: Fagaceae

What it is like

Castanea dentata is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 15 m (49ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Dry, gravelly or rocky, mostly acid soils. This species is virtually extinct in America due to chestnut blight.

Eastern N. America - Maine and Ontario to Michigan, Georgia and Arkansas.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Seed - raw or cooked. Rather on the small side, but these are the sweetest seeds of any species in this genus. The seed contains about 7% fat, 11% protein. It can be dried, ground into powder and then be added to cereals when making bread, cakes etc. A delicious oil can be extracted from the seed by crushing the nuts, boiling them in water and then skimming off the oil as it comes to the surface. It can be used as a topping for various puddings. The roasted nut can be used as a coffee substitute and a chocolate substitute can also be made from it (no further details).

Oil: Oil

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Chocolate: substitutes for chocolate, that is.

Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.

Medicine

Rating: 1

A warm water infusion of the leaves has been used to calm the respiratory nerves and promote expectoration. The infusion has also been used in the treatment of whooping cough but modern opinion is that the leaves are no more than a mild astringent.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.

Other

Rating: 3

The bark is a good source of tannin. The dried leaves contain 9% tannin. The wood and the seed husks also contain tannin. The husks contain 10 - 13% tannin. A brown dye is obtained from the bark. Wood - soft, not strong, light, very durable, liable to warp. It weighs 28lb per cubic foot. Easy to split, it is used for making cheap furniture, fence posts, in construction etc.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Prefers a good well-drained slightly acid loam but succeeds in dry soils and in hot sunny sites. Once established, it is very drought tolerant. Very tolerant of highly acid, infertile dry sands. Averse to calcareous soils but succeeds on harder limestones. Although it is very winter-hardy, this species only really thrives in areas with hot summers. A tree at Kew in 1985 was 15 metres tall and thriving. At one time widely cultivated in N. America for its edible seed, it is now virtually extinct in the wild due to chestnut blight. There are some named varieties. Trees are possibly becoming resistant, some suckering stands in America are producing fruit. Suckers often reach 4 - 6 metres tall before succumbing to blight, but they rarely manage to produce fruit. An excellent soil-enriching understorey in pine forests. Flowers are produced on wood of the current year's growth. Plants are fairly self-sterile. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a standard with a non-suckering single trunk. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down.

Propagating it: Seed - where possible sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in a seed bed outdoors. The seed must be protected from mice and squirrels. The seed has a short viability and must not be allowed to become dry. It can be stored in a cool place, such as the salad compartment of a fridge, for a few months if it is kept moist, but check regularly for signs of germination. The seed should germinate in late winter or early spring. If sown in an outdoor seedbed, the plants can be left in situ for 1 - 2 years before planting them out in their permanent positions. If grown in pots, the plants can be put out into their permanent positions in the summer or autumn, making sure to give them some protection from the cold in their first winter.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. americana.