Scientific Name:
Castanea sativa
Pronunciation:
kas-TAN-nee-uh sah-TEE-vah
Common Name:
sweet chestnut
Family Name:
Fagaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves oblong-lanceolate, major veins running parallel off midrib, margins pointy toothed, 15-25cm long x 3-7cm wide; flowers of both sexes are borne on upright catkins (male flowers above the female flowers), Jun-Jul; fruit husk spiny, contains 3-7 brown nuts, Sep-Oct. Winter ID: spiny fruit husks on ground; leaf scars mostly half-round with 7 or more bundle scars.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical, Round
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
22 - 30m
Mature Spread:
15 - 25m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Central / west Asia, Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Shade tree, Urban agriculture
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown include C. 'Variegata'.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Heavily veined, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Shapes:
Elliptic, Obovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Dentate
Inflorescence Type:
Catkin (ament)
Flower Morphology:
Monoecious plant
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, Green-yellow, Green
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun, Jul
Fruit Type:
Nut
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Bark Morphology:
Deeply fissured, Single stem trunk
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Brown
Leaf Bud Type:
Ovoid
Leaf Scar Shape:
Half-round
Organ Modifications:
Ectomycorrhizae
Maintenance:
High
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Blight or needle cast, Fungal leaf spot, Mildew (Pest resistant, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant)
Specific Pests:
