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Castanea sativa

(European Chestnut)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Chinese:

Ou Zhou Li

Common Names in Czech:

Kastanovník Setý

Common Names in Danish:

ægte Kastanie, ægte Kastanje

Common Names in Dutch:

Europese Kastanje, Kastanje, Kastanjeboom, Tamme Kastanje, Tamme Kastanjeboom

Common Names in English:

European Chestnut, Chestnut, Chestnut Tree, Edible Chestnut, European Chestnut;sweet Chestnut, Italian Chestnut, Spanish Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut

Common Names in Finnish:

Aito Kastanja

Common Names in French:

Châtaigne, Châtaignier Commun, Marron, Marron Comestible

Common Names in German:

Eßkastanie, Eßkastanienbaum, Echte Kastanie, Edel-Kastanie, Edelkastanie, Edelkastanienbaum, Marone

Common Names in Greek:

Kastania

Common Names in Italian:

Castagno, Castagno Comune, Castagno Domestico, Marone

Common Names in Japanese:

Yooroppa Guri

Common Names in Polish:

Kasztan Jadalny

Common Names in Portuguese:

Castanheiro, Castanheiro-Comum, Reboleiro

Common Names in Romanian:

Castan

Common Names in Russian:

Kashtan Nastoiashchii (Katan Nastojaij), Kashtan Posevnoi (Katan Posevnoj), Kaštan Posevnoj, каштан посевной

Common Names in Slovak:

Gatan Jedlý

Common Names in Spanish:

Castaña, Castaño, Castaño Común, Castaño Regoldo, Castaño, Regoldo

Common Names in Swedish:

äkta Kastanj

Description

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Genus Castanea

Trees or shrubs , winter-deciduous, sometimes rhizomatous . Terminal buds absent, pseudoterminal bud (axillary bud of youngest leaf) ovoid , with 2 unequal opposite outer scales enclosing several imbricate inner scales. Leaves: stipules prominent on new growth, soon deciduous. Leaf blade thin, somewhat leathery, secondary veins unbranched, ±parallel, extending to margin , each vein ending in sharp tooth or well-developed awn . Inflorescences staminate or androgynous, axillary , spicate , erect , rigid or flexible ; androgynous inflorescences with pistillate cupules/flowers toward base and staminate flowers distally. Staminate flowers: sepals distinct ; stamens 12(-18), typically surrounding indurate pistillode covered with silky hairs . Pistillate flowers 1-3 per cupule; sepals distinct; carpels and styles typically 6(-9). Fruits: maturation in 1st year following pollination (termed annual by many authors ) ; cupule 2-4-valved, valves connate marginally until maturity, ±completely enclosing nut(s), spiny , spines irregularly branched, often interlocking, densely or sparsely covered in simple hairs; nuts 1-3 per cupule, plano-convex , or if 3, then central nut often reduced and flattened, or if solitary, then often rounded in cross section , not winged , adjacent nuts not separated by internal cupule valves. x = 12.

Species ca. 8-10 (3 in the flora , often interpreted as 2) : North America, Europe, Asia.

As evidenced by United States breeding programs, all species are probably interfertile (including American × Asian species). Local morphologic intergradation between species is to be expected.[1]

Physical Description

Habit: Tree

Flowers: Bloom Period: June. • Flower Color: cream, pale yellow, tan

Size/Age/Growth

Size: over 40' tall.

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,240 meters (0 to 7,349 feet).[2]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space over 40' apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 5.1 • Maximum pH: 7.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Castanea castanea (L.) H. Karst. • Castanea castanea Sudw. • Castanea prolifera (K. Koch) Hickel • Castanea sativa f. discolor Vuk. • Castanea sativa var. hamulata A. Camus • Castanea sativa var. microcarpa Lavialle • Castanea sativa var. pendulifolia Lavalle • Castanea sativa var. prolifera K. Koch • Castanea sativa var. spicata Husn. • Castanea vesca Gaertn. • Castanea vulgaris Lam. • Fagus castanea L. • Fagus procera Salisb.

Notes

Publishing author : Mill . Publication : Gard. Dict., ed. 8. n. 1 1768 [16 Apr 1768]

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 11-Nov-2003

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Castanea

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 16 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

C. crenata (Japanese Chestnut) · C. dentata (American Chestnut) · C. henryi (Henry Chestnut) · C. mollissima (Chinese Chestnut) · C. neglecta (Neglected Chestnut) · C. ozarkensis (Ozark Chinkapin) · C. ozarkensis var. ozarkensis (Ozark Chinkapin) · C. pumila (Allegeny Chinkapin) · C. pumila ozarkensis (Ozark Chinquapin) · C. sativa (European Chestnut) · C. sativa 'Albomarginata' (Spanish Chestnut) · C. sativa 'Marron De Lyon' (Spanish Chestnut) · C. seguinii (Chinese Chinquapin) · C. 'Colossal' (Hybrid Chestnut) · C. 'Nevada' (Chestnut) · C. 'Timburr' (Chestnut)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. "Castanea". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Mean = 119.300 meters (391.404 feet), Standard Deviation = 168.590 based on 3,711 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 2012-05-01