Description

Leaves: Alternate; simple; elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate; 4" to 8" long, 2" to 3" wide; deciduous; coarsely and sharply serrate margin with bristle or hair tipped teeth; acuminate apex; thin; yellow-green; with whitish to greenish soft hair beneath; petiole 1/4" to 1/2" long, hairy.

Twigs/buds: Twigs stout; green-brown; hairy.  No terminal bud; lateral buds 1/8" to 1/4" long, brown, with 2 or 3 scales, pubescent.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious.  Flowers small; male on semi-upright catkins; female individual or in small groups, appearing when leaves are near fully grown.  Fruit a 2" to 2-1/2" diameter bur, splits at maturity into 2 to 4 sections, covered with sharp, branched spines; bur encloses 2 to 3 edible nuts, 1/2" to 1" wide.

Bark: Thick; dark brown to gray-brown; furrowed into broad, flat ridges.

Wood: Not important in U.S.  American chestnut (Castanea dentata) wood was very important before the species was nearly wiped out by chestnut blight; sapwood narrow and almost white; heartwood gray-brown to brown and darker with age; growth rings very distinct; ring-porous; soft; durable; rot resistant; used for furniture, poles, posts, ties.

General: Native to northern China and Korea.  Resistant but not immune to chestnut blight.  Intermediate shade tolerance, but likes full sun and heat. Fruit and/or plant part can be nuisances; use fruitless varieties if possible.

Landscape Use: This medium to large tree can be planted in Utah, but there may be some cold-hardiness problems in the coldest valley sites.  It can be used as a landscape tree but the burs and nuts produced can be messy.  Zones 4-9.

Cultivars: 'Kuling', 'Meiling', and 'Nanking' – All selections for higher nut production.

Characteristics