WorldFloraDB - Castanea sativa

Characteristics

A large deciduous tree up to 30-40 m high. It spreads to 6-15 m across. The stem is erect and stout. It has spreading branches and a wide rounded crown. The bark is grey-brown. The bark is ridged in a right handed spiral. The large leaves have toothed edges. The leaves are oblong to sword shaped and have prominent veins. The leaves can be 20 cm long. Leaves turn yellow to brown in autumn. Male and female flowers are separate. The male flowers are brownish and hang down like a cat's tail. They are 20 cm long. The female flowers are joined together into a distinctive little tube. Normally male flowers are lower in the current season's shoots while the female (or both sexes) flowers are nearer the end of the shoot. The pollen can have an unpleasant smell. The brown nuts are inside green, spiny coverings. These burrs open to reveal the nut. The outer shell is shiny light brown. It needs to be cut off with a sharp knife. A softer layer appears inside surrounding the nut.

Perennial, large tree, up to 40 m high. Leaves oblong to oblong-lanceolate, base cordate, apex acuminate; toothed or scalloped with bristle-tipped teeth; densely hairy when young, yellow glandular beneath. Nuts 2 or 3 in each cupule.

Life form

perennial

Growth form

tree

Growth support

free-standing

Foliage retention

deciduous

Sexuality

monoecy

Pollination

anemogamy

Spread

dyszoochory

Mature width (meter)

6.0 - 15.0

Mature height (meter)

22.5 - 30.0

Root system

fibrous-root tap-root

Rooting depth (meter)

Root diameter (meter)

Flower color

Blooming months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Fruit color

Fruiting months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Nitrogen fixer

Photosynthetic pathway

Environment

A Mediterranean climate plant. It can withstand frost. Trees do produce in the highlands of South India so may produce in the highlands of PNG. It requires light to medium, well drained soils. It is drought tender. It is slightly hardier than a peach and has less chilling requirement than a walnut. It is not suited to heat or humidity. In Indonesia it is planted above 1,400 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. Arboretum Tasmania. Hobart Botanical Gardens.

Woods in mountains.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The kernel of the nuts is eaten boiled or roasted. They are also slowly dried then ground and made into porridge. The flour can be used for breads, puddings or used to thicken soups. The roasted seeds are used as a coffee substitute. Sugar can be extracted from the nuts.

Uses	breeding coffee substitute cooking dye eating erosion control experimental purposes food gene source invertebrate food material medicinal oil ornamental paints seasoning shade tanning timber wood
Edible	nuts seeds
Therapeutic use	Antiviral agents (bark), Parasympatholytics (bark), Atherosclerosis (fruit), Coronary thrombosis (fruit), Thrombosis (fruit), Astringents (leaf), Common cold (leaf), Cough (leaf), Counterirritant (leaf), Pharyngitis (leaf), General tonic for rejuvenation (leaf), Whooping cough (leaf), Astringent (unspecified), Circulation (unspecified), Complexion (unspecified), Cosmetic (unspecified), Extravasation (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Hematochezia (unspecified), Hernia (unspecified), Hunger (unspecified), Hydrocoele (unspecified), Infection (unspecified), Inflammation (unspecified), Myalgia (unspecified), Pertussis (unspecified), Rheumatism (unspecified), Sclerosis (unspecified), Scrofula (unspecified), Sedative (unspecified), Sore (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified), Kidney (unspecified), Cough (unspecified), Fish-Bones (unspecified), Nausea (unspecified), Paroxysm (unspecified), Stomach (unspecified), Wound (unspecified), Aphrodisiacs (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Trees are mostly grown from seeds, but it is better to use grafted trees onto chestnut seedlings. Trees can be grown from cuttings. They can also be grown by layering. Seeds should be from cross pollinated trees and should be stored in a refrigerator at just below freezing for several months to break the dormancy, before planting. Some trees need to be cross pollinated, but some kinds will self between male and female flowers on the one tree. Pollination is by wind so trees should be near each other. Normally trees are trained to have a single trunk with at least 1.5 m to the lowest branch.

Mode	cuttings graftings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	-23
Optimum temperature (C°)	15 - 25
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-

Images

Habit

Castanea sativa habit picture by Freddy Lemoine (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Castanea sativa leaf picture by Nel Son (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Castanea sativa flower picture by Meineke Dietlinde (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Castanea sativa fruit picture by juju juju (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Conservation status

Identifiers

LSID	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:295349-1
WFO ID	wfo-0000812271
COL ID	5XCVW
BDTFX ID	14752
INPN ID	89304
Wikipedia (EN)	Link
Wikipedia (FR)	Link

Synonyms

Castanea vulgaris Castanea sativa Fagus castanea Fagus procera Castanea castanea Castanea prolifera Castanea vesca Castanea sativa var. hamulata Castanea sativa var. microcarpa Castanea sativa var. prolifera Castanea sativa var. spicata Fagus castanea var. variegata Castanea sativa f. discolor

Lower taxons

Castanea sativa Mill.

European chestnut (en), Châtaignier (fr), Châtaignier commun (fr), Châtaignier cultivé (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Fagales > Fagaceae > Castanea