Bush chinkapin, Florida chinkapin, Trailing chinkapin, Downy chinquapin
Castanea alnifolia
Family: Fagaceae
What it is like
A low spreading shrub. It has an irregular spreading crown. It grows 12 m high. The trunk is 30 cm across. The bark is grey-brown and becomes rough with long furrows. The leaves are 7.5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide. They are broadly oval with many straight side veins. There are short teeth around the edge. The leaf stalks are short and without hairs. The leaves are dark green above and paler underneath. The flowers are very small and white. The male flowers are in catkins 10-13 cm long at the base of a leaf. There are several very small female flowers at the base of shorter catkins. The fruit are 2-2.5 cm across. They have burs with a few scattered spines. They split open. They contain one nut which is egg shaped. It is shiny brown and edible.
All Castanea bear edible nuts. There are about 12 Castanea species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in uplands on sandy soils in oak forests. It grows near sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
North America, USA
How it is used for food
The nuts are eaten.
Edible parts
Seeds, nuts
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed. Seedlings need transplanting very early.