Sweet Chestnut (Castanea Sativa)

Note that plant is matured and large size some to 1.6m tall. Plants has started flowering again.

Did you know that Sweet Chestnut can live to 700 years?Although the sweet chestnut is confused with the horse chestnut, it is related to oak and beech. Everything about the sweet chestnut is more beautiful than the horse chestnut: the edible (versus toxic) fruit, the tightly packed coat of spines, the elegant glossy, serrated leaves, the swirling, deeply fissured bark.

The leaves are dark green, turning yellow in autumn before falling. The flowers are quite insignificant, but are followed by the tasty nuts.

Unlike the nuts of the horse chestnut, those of the sweet chestnut are edible to humans and can be roasted and used in a variety of recipes, including stuffing for poultry, cake fillings, nut roasts and much more. The Romans ground sweet chestnuts into a flour or coarse meal.

Sweet chestnuts are a rich source of vitamins C (the only nut that is) and B, and minerals including magnesium, potassium and iron. Their high level of starch is similar to that of wheat and twice as high as the potato.

Plant Care

• Soil: Prefers deep, well-drained, acidic soil; tolerates a wide range but flourishes in sandy loams.
• Watering: Water regularly during dry periods to keep the soil moist, particularly important for young trees.
• Temperature: Hardy in temperatures as low as -20°C but requires warm summers for good nut production.
• Light: Full sun is essential for vigorous growth and nut production.
• Fertilising: Use a low nitrogen, high potassium fertilizer like 5-10-10 annually in the early spring.
• Pruning: Prune during dormancy in winter to maintain shape and remove any dead or crossing branches.
• Mulching: Mulch to keep roots moist and cool in the summer.
• Pest Control: Look out for chestnut blight and leaf spot. Manage these issues promptly with fungicides where appropriate.
• Flowering and Fruiting: Produces catkins in summer which, if pollinated, develop into chestnuts by the fall.
• Potting: Not typically suited for potting due to its large size and extensive root system.
• Feeding Regime: Additional potassium helps in the development and quality of the nuts.