Learn More. Tree Identification This is an example of an American chestnut tree reaching its branches out in the sun over Flint Pond in Lincoln. Identifying Your Chestnut Tree — Step 1 of 2 The first step in deciding whether your tree is a possible chestnut is to distinguish it from other trees which can be mistaken for chestnut trees. Beech If your tree lookes like this, then it is probably a beech tree.
Horsechestnut If your tree has leaves like this, it is probably a horsechestnut tree. Be aware that all chestnuts can cross-pollinate, so that the chestnut you are trying to identify may actually be a mix of two or more different types of chestnuts, known as a hybrid. Store them in the produce compartment of your refrigerator where well-cured chestnuts can last for a few weeks. Ideally, place them in a plastic bag with holes made with a fork or knife to help regulate the moisture levels.
If nuts are frozen, use them immediately after thawing. The most recognizable and simple method of chestnut preparation is roasting.
Chestnuts may be roasted in the oven, over a fire or even in the microwave. To roast chestnuts, be sure to score through the shell to ensure steam can escape and to prevent a messy and loud explosion. Scoring halfway around the equator works very well. Generally, it takes around 20 minutes in a F oven.
For microwaving, the time can be as little as 2 minutes. Cook times can vary by microwave and oven, so some trial and error may be necessary and wrapping several nuts in a wet paper towel before microwaving works well.
You can also try roasting them over an open fire or grill—though technically nestling them in the embers is best to prevent scorching. Depending on the temperature of the embers, this process can take anywhere from minutes. Cooked nuts should be tender, sweet and peel easily.
Be sure to allow the chestnuts to cool before handling. Chefs around the world recognize their unique characteristics and produce delicious soups, pastas and spreads using this unique nut. They were the most prominent and important forest trees in the region before the chestnut blight a fungal disease devastated them.
They were considered the finest types of chestnuts trees in the world. In the first half alone, about 3 to 4 billion American chestnut trees were destroyed by the blight.
Today, only a few trees are found in the region that survived the blight. Many small shoots of trees that were alive formerly still remain. American chestnut trees are deciduous trees that grow rapidly. They can grow to be as tall as 30 meters. A rapid growth paired with a large number of annual seed crop resulted in the large population of these trees before the attack of blight. Some morphological traits distinguish the American chestnut trees from other chestnut species that are similar.
The leaf shape, nut size, and petiole length are some of the distinguishing features. The leaves are shorter and broader as compared to those of sweet chestnut. They are about 14 to 20cm in length and 7 to 10cm in breadth.
American chestnut is monoecious. It produces small, pale-green colored make flowers which occur tightly long catkins. The female parts of the flower are present near the base and appear later in Spring to early summer.
American chestnut trees are self-incompatible which means that two trees any member of the genus Catenea are required for pollination.
The nuts of this tree are a distinguishing feature, as mentioned earlier. They are enclosed in a tan velvet lined burr that is spiny and green in color. The burrs open and fall to the ground near the first frost of the season. The nuts are an important resource. They are edible and are used to treat ailments such as heart conditions, whooping cough, and chafed skin. The flowers of the predominant chestnut species in eastern forests before the early s bloomed so beautifully that it appeared like a sea with white combers plowing across a surface naturalist Donald Culross Peattie.
Unfortunately, in when a blight that came with imported Asian chestnuts resulted in the exuberance to fade. By the s, the destruction was so widespread that only a dozen American chestnut trees survived out of billions!
However, after so many years there finally has been a ray of hope. Several hundred chestnuts were planted and this historic planting has completed their first season of full growth in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Chinese chestnut trees are native to China, Korea, and Taiwan.
The scientific name of these trees mollissima has been derived from young leaves and the softly downy shoots. They grow best in zones 6 through The flowers of Sourwood can be mistaken for chestnut at a distance. Chinese chestnuts bloom earlier than American chestnuts.
This is a group of 20 year old pure American chestnuts planted by Welles Thurber in front in Maine. Notice the height of these young trees. They are covered with burs. Beech — If your tree looks like this, then it is probably a beech tree. These trees have toothed leaves, and smooth gray bark. They also have long pointed buds.
The leaf is wider and shorter than the American chestnut tree leaves.
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