Chinese Chestnut Tree

This Chinese chestnut tree is Castanea mollissima, the nut-bearing chestnut that stands up to the blight that wiped out the American chestnut. We ship it bare-root in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for orchards, wildlife plots, homesteads and wholesale buyers planting a long-lived nut crop.

Chinese Chestnut Tree Size, Zones and Sun

The tree reaches 40 to 60 feet with a wide, spreading crown, so it needs elbow room. It's hardy in zones 4 to 8 and grows best in full sun, taking part shade as well. Moist, well-drained soil that's neutral to slightly acidic suits it. It will grow in clay, sand or thin soil, and it handles a dry spell once established.

Chinese Chestnut Flowers and Nuts

The nuts are the point. They ripen from mid-September into October, tucked two or three to a spiny bur about 2 to 3 inches across, and each one is brown, crisp and sweet, 1 to 3 inches long. Roast them, boil them or bake with them. Before that, in late spring or early summer, the tree throws out creamy catkins (male flowers at the tips, female ones lower down) with a scent not everyone enjoys.

Chinese Chestnut and Wildlife

Wildlife goes after the nuts, which makes the tree a favorite for food plots. If you're after a crop for yourself, plan to collect nuts quickly as they fall. Our nut tree varieties overview compares chestnut with other nut trees.

Where to Plant Chinese Chestnut

Orchard rows, large lawns, wildlife plots and field edges all work. Space trees at least 30 feet apart. A single tree will grow, but planting two or more improves cross-pollination and gives a heavier nut crop. Keep the burs off walkways, since they're prickly underfoot.

Planting Chinese Chestnut Bare-root

Plant while the trees are dormant. Soak the roots for a couple of hours, dig a hole wider than the root mass, set the tree at the depth it grew and firm the soil. Water deeply every week through the first summer, and mulch to hold in moisture.

Buying Chinese Chestnut Trees in Bulk

Orchard buyers usually start with 50 or 100 trees so there's pollination built in. The 1-2 foot trees are the easiest to plant at scale, and the 3-4 foot size gives a head start where deer pressure is light. Our guide to edible native trees and shrubs is useful if you're planning a mixed food planting.

Good to Know About Chinese Chestnut

This is a messy tree. Burs and nuts litter the ground every fall, and the spines need gloves. The flowers smell strong in early summer, so keep the tree away from patios and open windows.

Chinese Chestnut for Homesteads and Food Plots

Burs open as they dry in fall, and nuts drop over a few weeks, so a quick daily pick-up keeps them from sitting. Roast them in the shell with a slit cut across the flat side, or boil them and peel. Food plot buyers tend to plant a cluster of 25 or 50 at the edge of a field, with a few trees closer together to help with pollination.

Chinese Chestnut Tree Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Chinese chestnut trees ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes and packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale trees for sale.