American Chestnut Tree

Grow a legendary icon and native legacy when you order the American Chestnut Tree (Castanea dentata)! Once the dominant tree throughout Eastern forests, the Chestnut almost went extinct in 1904 due to an imported fungus. Planting one in your landscape brings this majestic tree back to today's boulevards and gardens! Summer lights up your tree with long, fuzzy catkins in unique clusters of showy white flowers, standing tall at the ends of every branch! The display attracts a wide range of pollinators and Host Plant to their larvae! Fall brings unique green spikey seed pods, each with glossy, easy-to-peel, chestnut brown nuts. The nuts of the American Chestnut are edible, crunchy, and sweet! Roast these nuts for a tasty seasonal treat in the late-season months of September and October, and sometimes into November. Freeze the nuts for a long time, freshly roasted nuts should be eaten soon and can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks. Featuring leaves with prominent veins, a smooth surface, and a leathery texture so they will not get damaged in storms or wind. The coarsely-toothed margins of the foliage add incredible interest! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 8, these mighty deciduous trees grow 60-85 feet in height and 50-75 feet in width. This broad range in sizes is due to the native variance, growing zone, and climate conditions. Planting and Application: The American Chestnut is a great street tree and shade tree! Use a single specimen in your landscape as a lawn tree, a focal point, and a majestic wildlife sanctuary! You'll enjoy the shade these statuesque native trees provide while creating stunning Bird-Friendly backdrops and borders. These legacy trees are long-lived and ideal memorial plantings! Mark a birthday, an anniversary or a wedding tree planting ceremony, or memorialize a loved one who has passed with a majestic tree to remember them by. You'll love the benefits your own Nut tree orchard can provide you and your wildlife! Cooling shade lowers AC bills and protects your lawn, garden, and seating areas from the harshest of the summer sun! Stop lawn furniture and siding from fading and protect your home from prevailing winds with these sturdy trees situated in the right spot! The American Chestnut is not entirely self-pollinating and does best with a second tree to produce a crop. Even if a neighbor has one of these trees, you will get a great crop thanks to the bees and wind pollination for successful cross-pollination. Not only does creating groves of Chestnut trees improve pollination, but you'll create a wildlife hotspot! Clusters of White Fuzzy Blooms for Pollinators Caterpillar Host Plant for 130 Species of Moth & Butterfly Larvae Impressive Flowering and Ornamental Foliage Native, Early Producer of Easy-Peel Nuts Great Shade, Edible Nut Crops, Wildlife Trees & Lawn Specimens #ProPlantTips for Care: American Chestnut Trees need full sun to grow their strongest and prefer rich well-drained soils. These hardy natives are adaptable to most soil types. New trees do best with a regular schedule of water and a 3-4 inch deep layer of mulch around the entire root system. Plant new trees with the life-long symbiotic relationship of Nature Hills Root Booster and regular fertilizer. Prune your tree to correct your tree's shape in the late winter. Full Sun Well-Drained Soil & Moderate Moisture Needs Mulch New Trees Well Adaptable Hardy Natives Prune in Late Winter Beautiful native American Chestnut Trees are making the return to the landscape with their adaptability and hardiness! Order yours today at Nature Hills Nursery and get growing a legacy for you and future generations! Explore More from Nature Hills The American Chestnut joins our collection of exceptional trees and native plants that thrive across multiple growing zones, including zone 4 plants, trees & shrubs and zone 5 plants, trees & shrubs. For additional guidance on establishing large shade trees in your landscape, explore our comprehensive guide on Privacy Trees and Shrubs: The Complete Guide to Screening, Spacing & Top Varieties and learn about proper care techniques in How To Winterize Your Fruit Trees.