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In the early 1900s, chestnut trees dominated U.S. forests from southern Maine to Mississippi. This prolific nut producer consistently produced an abundance of mast.

In 1904, a lethal fungus was discovered in New York City infecting American chestnut trees. Within 50 years this fungus had wiped out nearly all American chestnut trees. However, Chinese chestnut (Castenea mollissima), a blight-resistant tree, thrived in the United States. Chestnuts are an excellent source of food for wild turkeys and other wildlife.

Chinese chestnuts range throughout the U.S., except in parts of Florida, Montana, Maine, North Dakota and Minnesota.It is a fast-growing tree that reaches 30 to 60 feet in height, and produces prickly seed hulls, which open in the fall, releasing two or three one-inch nuts.

“Chinese nuts are sweeter and finer textured than those of the Japanese variety, and they are usually larger than those of the American variety,” said Dr. James Earl Kennamer, NWTF Senior Vice President of Conservation Programs. The nuts fall from early fall to early winter, depending on the climate.

The Chinese chestnut grows best with full sun in any well-drained, nonalkaline soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and does not grow well in soil with a pH of 7 or higher. They are also tolerant of hot, dry conditions.

Planting tips
You can plant them as bare-root seedlings or seeds, but to produce nuts within three or four years, start with trees already four- to five-feet tall and plant them in the spring. It is a good idea to plant more than one tree close together so they can cross-pollinate to produce edible nuts. Space the trees about 35 to 40 feet apart to allow the tree to develop a large crown.

During the first three or four years, keep weeds and grass away from the trunk to help the tree grow faster. You can do this by using National Wild Turkey Federation weed mats. Use a tree shelter to give the seedling time to grow before it is browsed by deer or other wildlife. If using a tree shelter, place the shelter on top of a brick to allow air to circulate through the shelter, or drill 1/2 inch diameter holes in the top of the shelter. Fertilize the first year and each following spring using amounts recommended by a soil test.

When you plant four- to five-foot-tall trees, they can grow to a height of eight to 12 feet in only three or four years and produce edible nuts every year. The life span of a Chinese chestnut is 50 years or more.

How to order
Chinese chestnut seedlings are available through the NWTF’s Project HELP (Habitat Enhancement Land Program). Two great varieties offered include the Hawk and the Sweet Hart chestnut. To place an order or receive a free catalog, call 800-THE-NWTF. Get in the Game, the NWTF’s interactive guide to attracting wildlife to your land, is now available on CD-ROM for $19.95 and is full of tips and tools to help you get the most out of managing your land.