Nothing taste better than roast chestnuts with a cup of live chocolate on a cold winter ’s night . The American chestnut tree once dominated forests in the Eastern United States , but a blight of Asian fungus ruin 3.5 billion trees by 1940 . Today , several group are work to restore the tree to its former resplendence . Chestnut trees grow all over the world ; the woodwind instrument is resistant to moulder and often used for article of furniture .
American Chestnut
The American chestnut tree ( Castanea dentata ) has smooth twigs and grow up to 115 feet . The leafage , which have only a few short hairs , are 5 to 10 inches long . The nuts from this tree are sweeter than other varieties . This Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is tight - grow and develop best in zones 5 to 9 . For a full harvest of nut , plant several tree diagram to see pollenation . These tree lose their leave of absence in winter and can not survive if temperatures go below 33 degrees F. Blight - resistant loan-blend are your near bet , but you’re able to grease one’s palms the aboriginal tree , which is not resistant to blights .
Chinese Chestnut
Chinese chestnut tree ( Castanea mollissima ) tree diagram achieve a altitude of 40 to 60 understructure . To get nuts , you must plant two for pollination . This Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree like hot and ironic climates and grows well in geographical zone 4 to 8 ; grunge should be well - drained , acidic and loamy . It is immune to blight and needs full sun . The Formosan chestnut has slow - to - metier development and provides excellent shade . The 3 - to-5 - column inch leaves have toothed margins . The screwball are less dulcet than the American chestnut ’s , but they rib well and try out great in line up for Thanksgiving dinner .
Chinquapin Chestnut
The Ozark chinkapin ( Castanea pumila ) , also spelled chincapin , is a dwarf chestnut tree that has yellow flowers and grows to a height of 14 feet by the time it is 20 eld former . It grows well in coarse- and medium - textured soils in zones 5 to 9 . The nuts are small . It require at least 40 day of pelting and 150 frost - liberal days per yr . In Kentucky , the Allegheny eastern chinquapin is a threatened mintage ; the chinquapin is an endangered mintage in New Jersey .
Horse Chestnut
The horse cavalry chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum ) , also known as the conker tree , is an cosmetic tree diagram that produces beautiful blank flowers . It grows well in zones 4 to 7 and reaches a tallness of 50 to 75 foot when fledged , although it develop only 13 to 24 inch per year . The spread of its offset is 40 to 70 feet . The horse cavalry chestnut mature in many land , including loamy , rich , well - drained , clay , moist and sandy . It does well in full sun or fond subtlety .
Japanese Chestnut
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture , the Japanese chestnut tree ( Castanea crenata ) grows well only in Florida in the United States ; it is native to Japan and grows prolifically there . This tree grows to a altitude of well-nigh 30 feet , and its leafage are about 7 in long . It can get in nutritionally poor land and prefers acid and neutral stain . The crackpot have a pitiable flavour .
