Chinese chestnuts have been selected as orchard trees over many centuries. They have been br...Read Moreed for a short, low-branched and spreading habit to make for easy harvest.
I find the scent of the flowers unpleasantly heavy, though some people like it. It's strong enough to perfume the air.
In the fall, they drop lots of spiny burs over an extended period. This is a maintenance problem if you're using them ornamentally where there are children or pets or pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
In spacing trees, bear in mind that in maturity the crowns can reach 50' across. For home production, a single tree may be enough.
If you want commercial-quality harvests, plant grafted cultivars rather than seed-grown plants. For best pollination, you need at least two genetically different trees within 200' to overcome self-incompatibility issues.
The species may be hardy to Z4, but I read that much of the stock available in the US is not reliably hardy much north of Z6.
It is my belief that chinese chestnut is one of the most underrated trees in the united states. People never seem to talk about it much o...Read Morether than as a replacement for the blighted american. It seems like people almost have a certain degree of animosity for it being not as big or grand as the native american. Its being used for breeding purposes to defer resistance etc..
Chinese chestnut is a nice orchard tree that will last for a few generations and only increase in size and longevity. It has beautiful leaves and a pretty high degree of drought resistance and tends to branch low from the trunk in multiple leaders. It has charming sturdy stubiness about it in its twigs and leaves and growth form that make it endearing and tough. Genetically it is probably the progenitor of all of the chestnut species. The nuts are delicious roasted and a great treat for wildlife. Chestnuts love their sun and light and being bred for thousands of years in china as an orchard crop they have lost their forest competitiveness.
Its best to give it lots of light in its youth. In the south it's resistant to both drought, chestnut blight, and ink disease. Apparently asian ambrosia beetles and gall wasps are proving to be troublesome in some limited areas.
overall though it will make a spectacular spreading medium shade tree with golden auburn fall color. Its very beneficial to man and wildlife. The biomass of the leaves improve the soil quite nicely. Its my favorite tree
Basking Ridge, NJ (Zone 7a) | October 2008 | positive
I planted 4 in heavy clay on a slope.
All did well, but you have to keep the soil as acidic as possible, by using pine bark, oak l...Read Moreeave, or pine needles.
You can find them growing in large forest on the lower to medium elevation of granite mountains (granite is acidic). Just to say that this tree is rugged provided it’s in a moist and acidic soil.
Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) | November 2004 | neutral
Prefers deep, sandy loam soil. Nuts are edible and quite tasty. Plants are self-fertile, but planting more than one ensures the best po...Read Morellination for nut production. Leaves turn yellow/bronze in fall.
Resistant to chestnut blight.
Chinese chestnuts have been selected as orchard trees over many centuries. They have been br...Read More
It is my belief that chinese chestnut is one of the most underrated trees in the united states. People never seem to talk about it much o...Read More
I planted 4 in heavy clay on a slope.
All did well, but you have to keep the soil as acidic as possible, by using pine bark, oak l...Read More
Prefers deep, sandy loam soil. Nuts are edible and quite tasty. Plants are self-fertile, but planting more than one ensures the best po...Read More