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Fagaceae FAMILY

Castanea sativa

Castanea sativa

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthMedium

Castanea sativa is a very cold-hardy tree, tolerating temperatures down to around -25°c when dormant. It grows best in areas with hot summers - in cooler areas, such as the maritime regions of the temperate zone, it usually grows well but often fails to produce large, good quality fruit[1, 2]. Requires a minimun annual precipitation of 600 - 800mm[3]. Young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts[PFAF]. Prefers a good well-drained slightly acid loam in a sunny position but it also succeeds in dry soils[4, 1, 2, 5]. Once established, it is very drought tolerant[4, 1, 2, 5]. Plants are very tolerant of highly acid, infertile dry sands[2]. Averse to calcareous soils but succeeds on harder limestones[1, 2]. Tolerates maritime exposure though it is slower growing in such a position[6]. The sweet chestnut is often cultivated for its edible seed in warm temperate zones, there are several named varieties[7, 8]. Both 'Marron de Lyon' and 'Paragon' produce fruits with a single large kernel (rather than 2 - 4 smaller kernels) and so are preferred for commercial production[5]. At one time this tree was widely grown for its wood in coppiced woodlands in Europe. This was used to make small items, especially fence posts, and also to provide wood for fuel. Howeve, trhe practise of coppicing has fallen into virtual disuse[1]. Trees regrow very quickly after being cut down, and are able to produce utilizable timber every 10 years. Flowers are produced in summer on wood of the current year's growth[9]. They may be pollinated by the wind (which is the more usual method if the weather is dry during flowering) or by insects (which is more common in wet weather conditions)[3]. The flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, and are very attractive to bees[10]. Plants are fairly self-sterile[2]. All the different Castanea species are interfertile and will hybridize freely with other members of this genus[2]. This species is not often seen in Cornwall though it grows very well there[11]. A very long-lived tree, with specimens known to be more than 1,000 years old. Such old specimens can have huge boles 4 metres or more in diameter[3]. Trees take 30 years from seed to come into bearing[12]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2]. They are eaten roasted, dried or candied (marrons glacés), the flour is used in cooking, especially in Italy. Bark extracts are used in tanning. Sometimes planted for erosion control in Mediterranean countries and as bee fodder plant, as park tree in many further countries. Chestnuts are frequently attacked or destroyed by chestnut blight. Interspecific hybrids (C. Sativa × C. Crenata, and C. Sativa × C. Mollissima) have been planted in France, that may have improved resistance to chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) and ink disease (Phytophthora spp.)[13].

Propagation

Seed - where possible sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in a seed bed outdoors[14]. The seed must be protected from mice and squirrels. The seed has a short viability and must not be allowed to become dry. It can be stored in a cool place, such as the salad compartment of a fridge, for a few months if it is kept moist, but check regularly for signs of germination. The seed should germinate in late winter or early spring. If sown in an outdoor seedbed, the plants can be left in situ for 1 - 2 years before planting them out in their permanent positions. If grown in pots, the plants can be put out into their permanent positions in the summer or autumn, making sure to give them some protection from the cold in their first winter[PFAF]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Castanea+sativa>

Pollinators

Wind, Bees, Insects

References

  1. [1]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]European Atlas of Forest Tree Species — San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Dur · European Commission · 2016 · http://10.2788/038466 · ISBN 978-92-79-52833-0 ↩︎An excellent guide to the forest trees of Europe. It can be downloaded from the Internet
  4. [4]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  5. [5]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  6. [6]Shelter Trees and Hedges. — Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. · Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food · 1984 · ISBN - ↩︎A small booklet packed with information on trees and shrubs for hedging and shelterbelts in exposed maritime areas.
  7. [7]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  8. [8]Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications · 1990 · ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 ↩︎Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
  9. [9]The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. — Elias. T. · Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. · 1980 · ISBN 0442238622 ↩︎A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
  10. [10]Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. — Chiej. R. · MacDonald · 1984 · ISBN 0-356-10541-5 ↩︎Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
  11. [11]Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall. — Thurston. ↩︎Trees and shrubs that succeed in Cornwall based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.
  12. [12]Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. — Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. F. · HMSO; London · 1982 · ISBN 0-11-710152-4 ↩︎Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.
  13. [13]Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants — http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 ↩︎Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
  14. [14]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  15. [15]AgroAtlas — http://www.agroatlas.ru/en/index.html ↩︎An on-line database of economic plants of Russia and the surrounding countries that formed the USSR, giving botanical descriptions, distribution, habitats and uses. It also gives comprehensive information on climate, soil, pests, diseases etc
  16. [16]Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. — Polunin. O. · Oxford University Press · 1969 · ISBN 0192176218 ↩︎An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
  17. [17]Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. — Hedrick. U. P. · Dover Publications · 1972 · ISBN 0-486-20459-6 ↩︎Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
  18. [18]A Modern Herbal. — Grieve. · Penguin · 1984 · ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 ↩︎Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
  19. [19]Food for Free. — Mabey. R. · Collins · 1974 · ISBN 0-00-219060-5 ↩︎Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
  20. [20]Edible and Medicinal Plants. — Launert. E. · Hamlyn · 1981 · ISBN 0-600-37216-2 ↩︎Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
  21. [21]Britain's Wild Larder. — Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. · David & Charles; Newton Abbot. · ISBN 0-7153-7971-2 ↩︎A handy pocket guide.
  22. [22]The Oxford Book of Food Plants. — Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. · Oxford University Press · 1975 · ISBN - ↩︎Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
  23. [23]Nuts. — Howes. F. N. · Faber · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
  24. [24]Fruits of the Earth. — Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. ↩︎Lovely pictures, a very readable book.
  25. [25]The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism. — Mills. S. Y. ↩︎An excellent small herbal.
  26. [26]The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants — Chevallier. A. · Dorling Kindersley. London · 1996 · ISBN 9-780751-303148 ↩︎An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
  27. [27]Homeopathic Materia Medica — William Boericke, M.D. · http://www.homeoint.org/books/boericmm/index.htm ↩︎An on-line version of the book
  28. [28]Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies — Chancellor. P. M. · C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. · 1985 · ISBN 85207 002 0 ↩︎Details the 38 remedies plus how and where to prescribe them.
  29. [29]Vegetable Tannins — Rottsieper. E.H.W. · The Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Co. Ltd. · 1946 · ISBN - ↩︎A fairly detailed treatise on the major sources of vegetable tannins.
  30. [30]Plants with a Purpose. — Mabey. R. · Fontana · 1979 · ISBN 0-00-635555-2 ↩︎Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.
  31. [31]Complete Book of Baskets and Basketry. — Wright. D. · David & Charles; Newton Abbot. · 1977 · ISBN 0-7153-7449-4 ↩︎Not that complete but very readable and well illustrated.
  32. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎