Castanea dentata

Botanical Description

Castanea dentata is a deciduous tree, often with a massive bole, that can grow up to 30 metres tall. Most trees in the wild, however, have been severely affected by chestnut blight and are now persisting mostly as multistemmed resprouts 5 - 10 metres tall[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The American chestnut was one of the most important dominant forest trees of eastern North America prior to 1930 when Chestnut Blight began to affect it. The sweet and edible nuts were a favourite confection in the eastern United States and the tree also provided a good quality wood and tanning bark[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. After 1930, most populations of Castanea dentata were nearly destroyed by the chestnut blight, caused by the introduced fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill) M. E. Barr [= Endothia parasitica (Murrill) P. J. Anderson & H. W. Anderson]. While chestnuts persist in many localities, the plants are mostly resprouts that rarely, if ever, produce viable seed[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].