Fagaceae FAMILY

Castanea sativa

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Castanea sativa is a deciduous tree usually growing up to 30 metres tall, occasionally reaching 40 metres[ 1145 Title AgroAtlas Publication Author Website http://www.agroatlas.ru/en/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description 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 ]. The sweet chestnut has a long history of cultivation, with evidence to show that it was being grown in Italy around 4,000 BCE. It is frequently cultivated as a nut tree, especially in Mediterranean countries, though it is also frequently planted in the southern states of the USA and in the Crimea, the Caucasus and Turkey. The tree is also managed as a coppice in order to provide wood for fuel, fencing and various other purposes.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSoutheastern Europe to western Asia - the Balkans, through Greece to Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, the Caucasus and northern Iran

HabitatWoods in mountains[ 100 Title Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Publication Author Polunin. O. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1969 ISBN 0192176218 Description An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses. ].