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Woody > Castanea > Castanea sativa > Castanea sativa

Castanea sativa


Sweet Chestnut, Spanish Chestnut




Origin:  Southern Europe, North Africa to southwest Asia.
Family
Fagaceae
Genus
Castanea
Species
sativa
Category
Woody
Type
Tree (deciduous)
Synonyms
Castanea vesca, Castanea vulgaris
Pronunciation
USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 7
Canadian Hardiness Zone
4a - 6b
RHS Hardiness Zone
H6 - H7
Temperature (°C)
-29 - 15
Temperature (°F)
-20 - 20
Height
30 m
Spread
15 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
July
Cultivation
Prefers full sun. Plant in well-drained soil. Prefers loam and sand.
Shape
Upright, branches and spreading.
Growth
Fast
Pests
Most of the largest specimens have been eradicated in North America by Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) leaving small trees sprouting from old stumps: the disease is now found in Europe and England.
Bark/Stem Description
The bark is grooved.
Leaf Description
Serrate, oblong-lanceolate leaves that are 20 cm long.
Flower Description
Conspicuous catkins. The male catkins are 15 cm long.
Fruit Description
Spiny fruit that contains nuts.
Colour Description
The leaves are green, catkins yellow while the bark is brown.
Texture Description
The bark is rugged. The leaves are glossy.
Notable Specimens
Port Dover Cemetery, Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England. Lanhydrock Gardens, Cornwall, England.
Propagation
Seed and grafting.
Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer)
The fruit is an edible nut common in European and North American stores at Christmas.
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