Appearance

Growth form

A rounded deciduous tree that can reach about 40–60 ft (12–18 m) in cultivation.

Leaves

The toothed leaves are often broad, glossy, and hairy underneath.

Flowers

Long, pale flower clusters appear in late spring or early summer in North Carolina.

Flowering time

In North Carolina, flowers open in late spring to early summer.

Fruit

Prickly burs usually hold two or three nuts. In North Carolina the nuts ripen from mid-September into October.

Look-alikes

Images coming soon

American chestnutCastanea dentata

Chinese chestnut often has broader, shinier leaves with hairs beneath. American chestnut usually has longer, narrower, dull leaves with stronger teeth. Hybrids can blur these clues.

Why they get mixed up · Both bear spiny burs and long toothed leaves.

Japanese chestnutCastanea crenata

Chinese chestnut has thick leaves with hairy undersides. Japanese chestnut can also have hairy leaves, so compare the leaf edges: its teeth are usually finer and bristlelike. Hybrids may blur these clues.

Why they get mixed up · Both Asian chestnuts are planted for their nuts in the eastern United States.

Images coming soon

European chestnutCastanea sativa

European chestnut usually has dull, stiff leaves with large teeth that do not hook sharply. Chinese chestnut has shinier, broader leaves with smaller teeth; hybrids can blur the difference.

Why they get mixed up · Both are grown in the eastern United States and carry spiny burs.

	Leaf surface	Leaf shape and teeth	Bud
Chinese chestnut	Shiny, thick	Broad; smaller teeth	Rounded, hairy
American chestnut	Dull, thin	Long, narrow; large hooked teeth	Pointed, hairless
Japanese chestnut	Shiny, thick	Oblong; bristlelike teeth	Rounded, hairless
European chestnut	Dull, stiff	Long; large teeth without hooks	Large, rounded

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• Orchards
• Garden landscapes

Range

Native to East Asia and planted in the eastern United States for nuts and landscaping.

Preferred conditions

In U.S. gardens, it favors sun and well-drained soil and grows in hardiness zones 4–8.

Seasons

In North Carolina

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Fruit

Fruit Sep–Oct

Connected species

Parasites

• Chestnut blight fungusCryphonectria parasitica

  This fungus can infect Chinese chestnut, though the tree is often more resistant than American chestnut.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms

U.S. nut selections include “Meiling,” “Nanking,” “Kuling,” “Crane,” and “Abundance.”

Conservation

IUCN Red List

LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction

Threats

Its resistance to chestnut blight varies among trees and cultivated varieties; it is not immune.