American Chestnut
American Chestnut leaves and nuts
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fagales Family: Fagaceae Genus: Castanea Species: C. dentata
Binomial name
Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.

The American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) was one of the most important forest trees throughout much of the eastern United States and southeasternmost Canada. A rapidly growing deciduous hardwood tree, it reached up to 30-45 meters (100-150 ft) tall and 3 meters (10 ft) in diameter, and ranged from Maine and southern Ontario to Mississippi, and from the Atlantic coast to the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio Valley. There are several related chestnut species such as the European Sweet Chestnut, Chinese Chestnut and Japanese Chestnut, which are distinguishable only with difficulty from the American species. C. dentata can be best identified by the larger and more widely spaced saw-teeth on the edges of its leaves, as indicated by the scientific name dentata, Latin for "toothed". The leaves, which are 14-20 centimeters (5-8 in) long and 7-10 centimeters (3-4 in) broad, also tend to average slightly shorter and broader than those of the Sweet Chestnut. The blight resistant Chinese Chestnut is the most commonly planted chestnut species in the U.S. It can be distinguished from the American Chestnut by its hairy twig tips which are in contrast to the hairless twigs of the American Chestnut. The chestnuts are in the beech family along with beech and oak, and are not closely related to the horse-chestnut which is in the family Sapindaceae. Download high resolution version (1757x1231, 567 KB)American Chestnut Nuts with Burrs and Leaves. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Orders See text. ... Families included in the Kew list: Fagaceae - Beech family   (including Nothofagaceae) Betulaceae - Birch family Corylaceae - Hazel family Ticodendraceae not included in the Kew list: Casuarinaceae - She-oak family Juglandaceae - Walnut family Rhoipteleaceae Myricaceae The Fagales are an order of flowering plants, including some of the best known trees. ... Genera Castanea - Chestnuts Castanopsis Chrysolepis - Golden chinkapin Colombobalanus Cyclobalanopsis Fagus - Beeches Formanodendron Lithocarpus - Stone oaks Nothofagus - Southern beeches Quercus - Oaks Trigonobalanus The family Fagaceae, or beech family, is characterized by alternate leaves with pinnate venation, flowers in the form of catkins, and fruit in the form of nuts, one to... Species Castanea alnifolia - Bush Chinkapin* Castanea crenata - Japanese Chestnut Castanea dentata - American Chestnut Castanea henryi - Henrys Chestnut Castanea mollissima - Chinese Chestnut Castanea ozarkensis - Ozark Chinkapin Castanea pumila - Allegheny Chinkapin Castanea sativa - Sweet Chestnut Castanea seguinii - Seguins Chestnut * treated as a synonym of by many authors Chestnut (Castanea), including... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 603 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1749 × 1740 pixel, file size: 125 KB, MIME type: image/png) {{Information | Description = Range map for Castanea dentata | Source = [1] | Date = 20 November, 2006 | Author = User:Fungus Guy | Permission = All rights released. ... Red shows states east of the Mississippi River, pink shows states not fully eastern or western The U.S. Eastern states are the states east of the Mississippi River. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally. ... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one_fifth of its surface. ... Appalachians in North Carolina The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... Carl D. Perkins Bridge in Portsmouth, Ohio with Ohio River and Scioto River tributary on right. ... Species Castanea alnifolia - Bush Chinkapin* Castanea crenata - Japanese Chestnut Castanea dentata - American Chestnut Castanea henryi - Henrys Chestnut Castanea mollissima - Chinese Chestnut Castanea ozarkensis - Ozark Chinkapin Castanea pumila - Allegheny Chinkapin Castanea sativa - Sweet Chestnut Castanea seguinii - Seguins Chestnut * treated as a synonym of by many authors Chestnut (Castanea), including... Binomial name Mill. ... Binomial name Blume The Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima), a member of the family Fagaceae, is a species of chestnut originally native to China, where it occurs in the provinces of Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan... Binomial name Siebold & Zucc. ... “Foliage” redirects here. ... Species Fagus crenata - Japanese Beech Fagus engleriana - Chinese Beech Fagus grandifolia - American Beech Fagus hayatae - Taiwan Beech Fagus japonica - Japanese Blue Beech Fagus longipetiolata - South Chinese Beech Fagus lucida - Shining Beech Fagus mexicana - Mexican Beech or Haya Fagus orientalis - Oriental Beech Fagus sylvatica - European Beech Beech (Fagus) is a genus... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus (from Latin oak tree), and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ... genera See text Sapindaceae, also known as the soapberry family, is a family of plants in the order Sapindales. ...

American Chestnut male (pollen) catkins

The American Chestnut is a prolific bearer of nuts, usually with three nuts enclosed in each spiny green burr, and lined in tan velvet. The nuts develop through late summer, the burrs opening and falling to the ground near the first fall frost. Download high resolution version (1483x1009, 542 KB)American Chestnut Pollen Stalks in June: Photo by myself, Timothy Van Vliet from my New Jersey Orchard, 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1483x1009, 542 KB)American Chestnut Pollen Stalks in June: Photo by myself, Timothy Van Vliet from my New Jersey Orchard, 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Hazelnuts from the Common Hazel Chestnut A nut can be either a seed or a fruit. ...

The American Chestnut was a very important tree for wildlife, providing much of the fall mast for species such as White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkey and formerly the Passenger Pigeon. Black Bears were also known to eat the nuts to fatten up for the winter. Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 The White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and northern portions of South America as far south as Peru. ... Binomial name Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758 For other uses, see Wild Turkey (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Ectopistes migratorius (Linnaeus, 1766) The Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) or Wild Pigeon was a species of pigeon that was once the most common bird in North America. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Chestnut blight

Once an important hardwood timber tree, American Chestnut is highly susceptible to chestnut blight, caused by an Asian bark fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica, formerly Endothia parasitica) accidentally introduced to America on imported Asiatic chestnut trees. The disease was first noticed on American Chestnut trees in the Bronx Zoo in 1904. While Chinese Chestnuts evolved with the blight and are usually immune, the airborne bark fungus spread 50 miles a year and in a few decades girdled and killed billions of American Chestnuts. New shoots often sprout from the roots when the main stem dies, so the species has not yet become extinct. However, the stump sprouts rarely reach more than 6 meters (20 ft) in height before blight infection returns. Binomial name Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill) Barr The chestnut blight is a fungal disease caused by the sac fungus (Ascomycota), Cryphonectria parasitica (formerly Endothia parasitica). ... The Bronx Zoo is a world-famous zoo located within the Bronx Park, in the Bronx borough of New York City. ...

Young tree in natural habitat

It is estimated that the total number of chestnut trees in eastern North America was over 3 billion, and that 25 percent of the trees in the Appalachian Mountains were American Chestnut. The number of large surviving American Chestnut trees over 60 cm (24 inches) in diameter within the tree's former range is probably less than 100. Huge planted chestnut trees (featured in National Geographic) can be found in Sherwood, Oregon, since much of western North America is still free of blight. American Chestnut thrives as far north as Revelstoke, British Columbia. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Sherwood is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. ... Revelstoke was also the name of a well-known Canadian chain of hardware and home improvement stores, now known as Rona. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km...

American Chestnut field trial sapling from the American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation

Several organizations are attempting to breed blight-resistant chestnuts. One of these is the American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation, which breeds surviving all-American chestnuts, which have shown some native resistance to blight. The Canadian Chestnut Council is an organization attempting to reintroduce the trees in Canada, primarily in Ontario. Another is The American Chestnut Foundation, which is backcrossing blight-resistant American Chestnut × Chinese Chestnut hybrids to American parents, to recover the American growth characteristics and genetic makeup, and then finally intercrossing the advanced generations in order to breed consistently for blight resistance. The goal is eventually to reintroduce the species to the eastern forests of North America. In 2005, a hybrid tree with mostly American genes was planted on the lawn of the White House, and to date is doing very well. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (964x1520, 347 KB) Foto taken July, 2005, at Strouds Run State Park, Ohio Field trial of American chestnut seedling File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (964x1520, 347 KB) Foto taken July, 2005, at Strouds Run State Park, Ohio Field trial of American chestnut seedling File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to re-establishing the American chestnut, Castanea dentata, as a viable species using only pure American chestnut genetic stock. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is a nonprofit American organization dedicated to breeding a blight-resistant American chestnut tree and then repopulating American forests with this new chestnut. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ...

The United States National Arboretum also has taken an interest in the American Chestnut, using similar methods of backcrossing to create hybrids resistant to blight. Overall, it is anticipated that the species may be ready for trial plantings in forests by 2010. The United States National Arboretum is an arboretum in Washington D.C., owned by the United States Department of Agriculture. ...

Two of the largest surviving American Chestnut trees are in Jackson County, Tennessee. One is the state champion and has a diameter of 61 cm (24 in) and a height of 23 meters (75 ft) and the other tree is nearly as large. One of them has been pollinated with hybrid pollen by members of The American Chestnut Foundation; the progeny will have mostly American Chestnut genes and some will be blight resistant. On 18 May 2006, a biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources spotted a stand of several trees near Warm Springs, Georgia. One of the trees is approximately 20-30 years old and 13 meters (40 ft) tall and is the southernmost American Chestnut tree known to be flowering and producing nuts [1]. Another large tree was found in Talladega National Forest, Alabama in June 2005.[2]. It is 26 meters (85 ft) tall with a diameter of 35 centimeters (14 in). A combination of factors may account for the survival of these relatively large American Chestnut trees including low levels of blight susceptibility, hypovirulence (the attacking blight fungus is weakened by a virus), and good site conditions; in some cases, large chestnut trees have been lucky, and have not yet been exposed to the blight-causing spores. Jackson County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ... The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is a nonprofit American organization dedicated to breeding a blight-resistant American chestnut tree and then repopulating American forests with this new chestnut. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Warm Springs is a city in Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. ... Central Alabamas Talladega National Forest covers 375,000 acres (1,520 km²) at the southern edge of the Appalachians. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  Ranked 30th  - Total 52,419 sq mi (135,765 km²)  - Width 190 miles (306 km)  - Length 330 miles (531 km)  - % water 3. ...

Uses

The nuts were once an important economic resource in the U.S., even being sold on the streets of larger cities, as they sometimes still are during the Christmas season (usually "roasting on an open fire" so their smell is readily identifiable many blocks away). Chestnuts are edible raw or roasted, though preferably roasted. Nuts of the European Sweet Chestnut are now sold instead in many stores. One must peel the brown skin to access the yellowish-white edible portion. The unrelated horse-chestnut's "conkers" are poisonous. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) is the name of a classic Christmas song, written in 1944 by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. ... Binomial name Mill. ... Species Aesculus arguta: Texas Buckeye Aesculus californica: California Buckeye Aesculus chinensis: Chinese Horse-chestnut Aesculus flava (): Yellow Buckeye Aesculus glabra: Ohio Buckeye Aesculus hippocastanum: Common Horse-chestnut Aesculus indica: Indian Horse-chestnut Aesculus neglecta: Dwarf Buckeye Aesculus parviflora: Bottlebrush Buckeye Aesculus pavia: Red Buckeye Aesculus sylvatica: Painted Buckeye Aesculus turbinata... For the video game character and games of the same name, see Conker (series) A selection of fresh conkers from a horse-chestnut tree. ...

The wood is straight-grained, strong, easy to saw and split, and lacks the radial end grain found on most other hardwoods. The tree was particularly valuable commercially since it would grow at a faster rate than oaks. Being rich in tannins, the wood was highly resistant to decay and therefore used for a variety of purposes, including furniture, split-rail fences, shingles, home construction, flooring, piers, plywood, paperpulp, and telephone poles. Tannins were also extracted from the bark for tanning leather. Although larger trees are no longer available for milling, much chestnut wood has been reclaimed from historic barns to be refashioned into furniture and other items. "Wormy" chestnut refers to a defective grade of wood that has insect damage, having been sawn from long-dead blight-killed trees. This "wormy" wood has since become fashionable for its rustic character. Trunks A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is a solid material derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ... Tannins are astringent, bitter-tasting plant polyphenols that bind and precipitate proteins. ... Simple split-rail fence. ... For other meanings of bark, see Bark (disambiguation). ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Monura - extinct Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (may be paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Diaphanopterodea - extinct Protodonata - extinct Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Caloneurodea - extinct Titanoptera - extinct Protorthoptera - extinct Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera...

Future

The intrinsic and economical value of returning the American Chestnut tree to its former place in the Eastern forest is incalculable. It was known as the redwood of the eastern forests and in many areas was the dominant tree of the forest. It is thought that panic logging during the early years of the blight may have unwittingly destroyed trees which had resistance to this disease and thus aggravated this calamity.[3]

External links

• Flora of North America RangeMap:
• The American Chestnut Foundation
• American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation
• Canadian Chestnut Council
• American Chestnut Research and Restoration Center, SUNY-ESF
• National Geographic article
• The American Chestnut Tree, reprinted from American Forestry, 1915
• Chestnut in the Future, reprinted from American Forestry, 1915
• Castanea dentata images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
• Rare American Chestnut Trees Discovered (Washington Post, May 19, 2006)
• Resurrecting The American Chestnut
• New Hope for the American Chestnut
• Restoring the American Chestnut Tree to Alabama