Chinese Chestnut

The Chinese Chestnut, Castanea mollissima, can be used as a nut tree and a shade tree, or planted in rows as a windbreak. The nuts are sweet flavored and produce edible nuts in winter. This deciduous tree has moderate water requirements and it has a moderate tolerance to salt and alkali soils. Landscapers plant the Chinese Chestnut as an ornamental. Chinese Chestnut trees do well in hot dry climates and are blight resistant. The foliage is dark green in summer. This hardy tree will bear fruit in 7 8 years when placed on a good site. The dark green leaves are 5” 8” in length with a simple shape that turn yellow and gold in the fall. It produces edible chestnuts after establishment. The outer shell of the nut is prickly and must be removed. This variety of chestnut is resistant to chestnut blight but not immune. This tree tolerates heat, drought, transplanting, and dry and acidic soils.