Chestnut trees once thrived in the majority of the forests in eastern North America.
They can be towering shade trees, flowering shrubs, or petite food-producing trees, depending on the variety you choose.
Before you plant a chestnut tree, there are a few factors you need to keep in mind. Of course, your USDA Hardiness Zone will dictate which variety you can grow. Size will also be a big factor.
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On top of that, while chestnuts aren’t particularly prone to pests, there are a few diseases that can be a huge problem, including the infamous blight.
If blight is a problem in your area, you’ll want to focus on choosing from a few resistant species.
Our guide to growing chestnuts discusses how to cultivate species in the Castanea genus in your landscape.
In this guide, we’ll talk about all the most excellent cultivars, hybrids, and species for home growers. Here’s the lineup:
11 Favorite Chestnut Varieties
Chestnuts are an important part of human history, appearing in fossil records and lore going back centuries.
Within the Castanea genus there are 13 species, four of which are commonly cultivated for food and wood, along with many hybrids.
Hybrids can be created through intentional breeding or they can happen naturally. In fact, some of the best hybrids currently in cultivation were naturally-occurring.
There are over 1300 cultivars and new ones popping up all the time. For the most part, chestnuts are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, but we’ll point out where this isn’t the case.
Note that you won’t see horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) on this list. These trees aren’t even close relatives of those in the Castanea genus.
Buckeyes, as they are also known, are in the lychee and soapnut family, Sapindaceae, and while the spiky capsules look similar to those of chestnuts, they aren’t edible.
Chestnuts in the Castanea genus are monoecious, which means that the male reproductive parts (the catkins) and the female parts (flowers) appear on the same tree.
This means that the pollen from a single specimen can pollinate itself and also other trees in the vicinity. So in theory, you only need one tree to produce nuts.
However, it often happens that at the time the pollen is being produced, the flowers on the same tree are not yet mature enough to be pollinated. For this reason, many growers often keep two different trees, to facilitate pollination of both.
Additionally, some cultivars are not self-fertile, so it is a good idea to check before purchase.
Let’s start our journey by discussing the American species and one of the saddest and most devastating ecological disasters in North American history.
1. American
Chestnuts have grown in North America for over 50 million years and C. dentata was once one of the dominant species in the forests from Maine to Florida.
They can grow over 100 feet tall with trunks that measure 12 feet or more in diameter.
Wildlife as varied as bear, deer, squirrels, turkeys, and the now extinct woodrat relied on them for food and habitat.
As humans spread across their range, they began to rely on the nuts, as well. Later, with the arrival of Europeans, the wood became important and was used to make furniture and building structures.
And then chestnut blight arrived.
Caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, the disease arrived in New York City from Japan in 1904 and quickly killed almost all of the wild chestnut trees in eastern North America.
By the 1950s, over 30 million acres of trees had been completely wiped out by the disease, which girdles the trunk at its base.
It’s hard to imagine, but the eastern forests used to look vastly different just a few generations ago than they do today. It was one of the worst ecological disasters in North American history.
The chestnut food industry was also wiped out and today, many North Americans don’t know what fresh American chestnuts taste like.
You can buy imported types, which have a different flavor from American ones, and rarely, you might find locally-grown fruits from new American hybrids or one of the few surviving trees.
That’s right. A few existing trees survived the blight in their original range and there are some growing outside of their original range, so all isn’t lost for the American species.
Scientists are working to breed genetically modified trees that are resistant to the disease to be planted in the wild to repopulate the decimated areas.
There is also work to cross-breed Chinese species with American species to produce a resistant hybrid that is genetically primarily American but with the blight resistance of the Chinese species. Time will tell what becomes of these efforts.
Since the blight kills the trunk and canopy but not the roots, some century-old roots still survive and regularly send up shoots.
But these shoots inevitably become infected with the disease and the trunks become girdled before they reach maturity.
Some gardeners plant the species and enjoy it for a few years knowing that it will eventually succumb to the disease.
American chestnuts produce eight-inch catkins in white or cream, and the nuts are small, with about 75 to150 nuts per pound, but intensely flavorful, sweet, and easy to peel.
The trees are incredibly productive by the time they reach eight years old or so, but will produce a smaller yield before that.
Many people consider American nuts to be the best tasting, which makes it even more of a shame that they are so difficult to find.
American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)
You can purchase this species at Nature Hills Nursery.
Just be aware that these trees aren’t immune to blight and you run the risk of losing yours, particularly if you live in eastern North America.
If your tree does show resistance, be sure to let your local extension know. They might want to add the tree to their breeding program.
2. American Hybrids
Wild chestnut trees hybridize with one another, and there are several natural hybrids that have been brought into cultivation. The chinknut, C. × neglecta, is one example.
But humans have helped the process along, as well. Plant breeders have crossed numerous species with the goal of creating a hybrid that combines the best traits of our favorite trees.
Sometimes you will see a plant listed as a generic “hybrid” chestnut. These are usually a cross between American (C. dentata) and Chinese (C. mollissima) trees.
Many local breeders and universities grow their own American/Chinese hybrids, so there isn’t a set standard across the board. Some will grow up to 100 feet tall, while others stay under 30 feet.
Some produce heaps of small nuts, with around 100 nuts per pound and others have fewer but larger fruits, up to 20 per pound. Depending on the hybrid, the catkins may be white or yellow and up to nine inches long.
American Hybrid Chestnut
Be sure to read the grower’s description to understand the characteristics of the tree you are purchasing.
For example, Nature Hills Nursery has a hybrid that grows up to 60 feet tall.
3. Belle Epine
‘Belle Epine’ is popular as a pollinator and resists root rot so it can tolerate heavier soils than most other chestnuts.
This European (C. sativa) cultivar comes from France and the nuts ripen later in the season than most other chestnuts.
Not only does it produce flavorful nuts, but it’s partially self-fertile. The nuts are medium to large in size, at 22 per pound and easy to peel.
If you like having a display bowl of nuts in your kitchen or as a centerpiece, the glossy, mahogany skin is extremely attractive.
The catkins are gracefully arching with cream-colored flowers, and the trees can grow up to 100 feet tall.
‘Belle Epine’ starts producing good sized yields in just three years or so.
4. Chinese
Chinese chestnuts (C. mollissima) hail from eastern Asia, though they’ve been in cultivation for so long that it’s not certain where they originated.
We know they’ve been grown for at least 6,000 years. Today, the chestnut industry in China is thriving, and the country is one of the largest producers and consumers of the nuts.
A bit more petite than American and European chestnuts, these trees grow to about 40 feet tall, though they can reach up to 65 feet in optimal conditions.
The leaves are oval and thick, with a lighter underside thanks to the white hairs that cover the surface. It’s this hairy underside that helps us differentiate Chinese types from American and European.
The nuts are flavorful, medium to large in size, with 30 to 50 nuts per pound, depending on the cultivar. They aren’t quite as sweet and pungent as American types, but they’re delicious in a slightly different way.
The taste can vary slightly from cultivar to cultivar, so be sure to read up on the flavor if you’re looking for a specific profile. They’re generally easy to peel with yellow nutmeat inside.
The long yellow and cream-colored catkins that appear in the spring are particularly attractive, though the flowers don’t exactly have the best fragrance. Some people like it, but others think it’s foul. But the floral display is impressive and much showier than other species.
C. mollissima also tends to be more adaptable than many other species. You’ll find these trees thriving in anything from sandy to clay soil.
This species is resistant to chestnut blight. The trees aren’t immune, but when they contract the disease, the symptoms are minimal if there are any at all.
That said, resistance varies, and you might find one tree becomes heavily symptomatic, while others never show any signs at all. The cultivar ‘Crane’ tends to be susceptible while ‘Jenny’ is rarely troubled, for example.
For the most part, if a tree is infected, it might lose a limb or something, but not much else will happen.
There are many excellent improved cultivars available on the market. ‘Beth’ has nuts with an excellent flavor and ‘Bouche de Betizac’ is heat tolerant and gall wasp resistant.
‘Benton Harbor’ is high-yielding and extremely large. ‘Crane’ gives you medium-sized, tasty nuts that store well. ‘Hong Kong’ has extremely sweet nuts and is vigorous.
Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima)
Hardy in Zones 4 to 9, these are excellent trees if you want to harvest tasty chestnuts but don’t want to worry about blight too much.
Fast Growing Trees carries species trees in single or four packs in a variety of sizes.
These trees are popular in the southeast, but they can grow just about anywhere in the US and southern Canada.
5. Colossal
‘Colossal’ is a widely grown cross between C. sativa and C. crenata that produces massive nuts, with just 11 to 15 per pound and up to 50 pounds per tree.
The nuts don’t store well, so you’ll need to eat them within a few months. The trees start producing when young, just three or four years old. At maturity, they reach up to 40 feet tall.
This is the cultivar that commercial growers are focusing on in western North America. You’ll find it in most commercial chestnut orchards along the Pacific coast.
It originated in the late 1800s in Nevada City, California, where it was bred by grower Benjamin Tonella. The yellow catkins can grow up to eight inches long and are pleasantly fragrant.
While ‘Colossal’ is moderately susceptible to blight, it is far more able to withstand the disease than the American species.
Its other drawback is that the wood can be weak and prone to breakage when laden with nuts, especially in windy weather.
‘Colossal’ Chestnut
But its high yield and flavorful nuts make it well worth having around. Want one? Find yours at Nature Hills Nursery.
6. Dunstan Hybrids
After the majority of American plants were killed during the blight, horticulturalists started to take stock of the remaining trees.
One grower found a promising specimen that lends its genetics to many modern hybrids and cultivars. Today, many of the existing American chestnuts are bred from Dunstan trees.
The original Dunstan tree was a single specimen that survived in a grove of dying or dead blighted chestnuts.
Dr. Robert Dunstan, a plant breeder and member of the Northern Nut Growers Association, tried to infect the tree with the spores of the fungi that cause the disease and it continued to stand strong.
So he grafted scions taken from the tree onto healthy rootstock and cross-pollinated that tree with a few different Chinese cultivars growing nearby. These were ‘Kuling,’ ‘Meiling,’ and ‘Nanking.’
By 1962, a few of the cross-pollinated seedlings started putting out fruit and he crossed these back with the American parent.
The resulting trees have been in cultivation since the 1970s and can be purchased across the US. While they aren’t exactly like the American species, they are close.
Dunstan Chestnut
Dunstan hybrids produce huge nuts, with just 15 to 35 nuts per pound and they start appearing just a few years after you plant the tree. The six-inch catkins are white or cream in color.
You can find Dunstan chestnuts available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Popular Dunstan cultivars include ‘Skookum,’ ‘Lyeroka,’ and ‘Myoka.’
7. Dwarf
American chinquapin or dwarf chestnut (C. pumila) produces fruits, but it’s not the one you’d choose if you want high yields simply because the nuts are so small.
As such, some people choose to grow this species as an ornamental tree or shrub that just happens to produce a bit of food.
While it can grow up to about 25 feet tall, most stay half that size.
As an ornamental, it’s a charmer, with reddish and gray-brown, scaly bark. The lanceolate leaves are green on top and paler on the underside with faint hairs.
In the early summer, six-inch catkins of yellow and white blossoms appear.
When you harvest the fruits, you’re in for a treat. They’re even better than their close relative the American chestnut.
The small nuts are sweeter and every bit as flavorful – and on a good year you can harvest up to 500 pounds from a single tree.
The plants are resistant to blight and while they can be infected, most recover without any permanent damage. When infected, you’ll likely see reduced growth and yields. There are a few cultivars out there, including ‘Fuller’ and ‘Rush.’
8. European
The European or Spanish chestnut (C. sativa) is indigenous to the Caucasus region surrounding the Black Sea in modern Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey.
The tree was incredibly important in the region, appearing in ancient Greek and Roman texts. Romans grafted the trees to improve both the wood and the fruits.
As Romans moved throughout Europe, they brought chestnuts with them and now the trees can be found from the tip of Northern Scotland to the toe of Italy.
In 1773, it was imported to the US by Thomas Jefferson. Today, Italy is the primary chestnut exporter in Europe and they have a small presence in North America.
There are two main types of European chestnuts.
The first is marroni, which produce large, sweet, flavorful nuts – about 15 per pound – that are easy to peel.
Marroni chestnuts can trace their lineage back to the cultivar ‘Marrone Fiorentino’ which was bred in northern Italy in the 1500s.
The second is castagna, which are smaller, less flavorful, and harder to peel. This is used as a broad term to describe the inferior European cultivars bred in Italy.
Both have white nutmeat and can grow up to 100 feet tall with massive trunks up to seven feet in diameter. The catkins are yellowish green and about six inches long, depending on the cultivar.
While these trees are less affected by chestnut blight than American species, they are still susceptible. However, the disease is less destructive in Europe, so the growing industry has been much less impacted there.
There are many cultivars that are improved versions of the species. ‘Borra’ is a favorite for those wanting particularly large, flavorful nuts. ‘Fowler’ has extremely high-quality fruits that are easy to peel. ‘Silverleaf’ has large, sweet nuts.
9. Japanese
The Japanese or Korean chestnut (C. crenata) has narrower leaves and is smaller than the European and American species.
When mature, it only reaches about 50 feet tall at most, though it’s usually closer to 30 feet tall.
It’s extremely resistant to blight, Phytophthora, and ink disease, so it’s a popular species to hybridize with the more disease-susceptible American trees.
The nuts themselves lack the deep flavor of European and American species and are medium in size.
They are similar to Chinese chestnuts, producing about 35 to 50 per pound, and with a similar flavor that is a bit milder and less sweet.
That’s why the Japanese species isn’t typically grown for the nuts alone but as an ornamental with a bonus of nuts in the fall. The narrow, eight-inch white catkins grow in an upright manner and gradually arc downwards.
It was introduced to the US in 1876 by Thomas Hogg and George Rogers Hall. Both horticulturalists spent time in Japan and independently sent back specimens that they found during their travels.
There are many excellent cultivars out there including ‘Ginyose’ and ‘Tsukuba,’ which are both resistant to gall wasps and produce large, flavorful fruits.
Japanese chestnuts are hardy in Zones 4 to 8.
10. Okei
‘Okei’ is an excellent pollinator that produces massive fruits at 15 per pound. They can be even bigger than those of ‘Colossal.’
It’s a fast grower and starts producing at a young age, but it prefers a warm climate to produce best. The long-lasting, cream colored catkins grow up to eight inches long.
In cooler climates, ‘Okei’ makes a gorgeous ornamental, but the production will be vastly reduced. Since it’s not a heavy yielder to begin with, that could mean a pretty paltry harvest. It’s capable of growing in Zones 4 to 8.
‘Okie,’ as it is sometimes spelled, was developed by combining a Japanese and European ‘Silverleaf’ cultivar at the University of California Davis. It is often used as a companion to pollinate ‘Colossal.’
11. Sleeping Giant
‘Sleeping Giant’ is an American, Chinese, and Japanese cross that produces large nuts with about 40 per pound. It is an extremely vigorous tree, with eight-inch cream colored catkins.
It’s also blight-resistant. Bred by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in 1937, the flowers ripen later in spring than other cultivars, which means they emerge after the late frosts that can plague some areas. The nuts ripen mid-season.
In addition to the excellent fruits, it makes a stellar ornamental. It grows about 60 feet tall with gorgeous glossy, serrated leaves.
Beautiful and Delicious
When you have a chestnut tree in your yard, it’s the ultimate two-for-one – a beautiful ornamental with the bonus of delicious nuts.
Blight has made growing chestnuts a challenge, but we have options now if you dream of making it happen.
Which kind are you thinking of growing? Are you looking for an ornamental or a source of food? Maybe both? Let us know in the comments section below.
And for more information about growing nut trees in your landscape, check out these guides next:
