Dwarf Chestnut (Castanea pumila) is an evergreen tree that grows to around 9 m tall with fragrant yellow flowers that bloom from spring to summer. Its nuts can be eaten by people and are sought after by wildlife. Grows in full sun and prefers hot summers. Susceptible to chestnut blight. Provides habitat for woodland animals.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Castanea pumila, commonly known as the Allegheny chinquapin, American chinquapin (from the Powhatan) or dwarf chestnut, is a species of chestnut native to the southeastern United States. The native range is from Massachusetts and New York to Maryland and extreme southern New Jersey and southeast Pennsylvania south to central Florida, west to eastern Texas, and north to southern Missouri and Kentucky. The plant’s habitat is dry sandy and rocky uplands and ridges mixed with oak and hickory to 1000 m elevation. It grows best on well-drained soils in full sun or partial shade.
It is a spreading shrub or small tree, reaching 2–8 m (6 ft 7 in – 26 ft 3 in) in height at maturity. The bark is red- or gray-brown and slightly furrowed into scaly plates.
The leaves are simple, alternately arranged, narrowly elliptical or lanceolate, yellow-green above and paler and finely hairy on the underside. Each leaf is 7.5–15 cm (3–5+7⁄8 in) long by 3–5 cm (1+1⁄4–2 in) wide with parallel side veins ending in short pointed teeth.
The flowers are monoecious and appear in early summer. Male flowers are small and pale yellow to white, borne on erect catkins 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long attached to the base of each leaf. Female flowers are 3 mm (0.12 in) long and are located at the base of some catkins. The fruit is a golden-colored cupule 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) in diameter with many sharp spines, maturing in autumn. Each capsule contains one ovoid shiny dark brown nut that is edible.
A natural hybrid of Castanea pumila and Castanea dentata has been named Castanea × neglecta.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Dwarf Chestnut tree needs sufficient sunlight to grow. plant in an open space with over 6 hours of sunlight daily. When sunlight is insufficient, its branches become slender and fragile, sometimes making it hard to support blooms and fruit.
Temperature
plants of the Castanea genus are distributed in the mountains of Northern temperate and subtropical zones. They like warm, moist habitats and grow best in temperatures between 10 to 20 ℃ , though they can also tolerate a certain level of cold. They don’t require much moisture, are quite drought-enduring, and usually don’t need excessive watering.
Watering
Dwarf Chestnut tree doesn’t require much moisture. Once adapted to its growing habitat, it becomes very drought-tolerant. Usually, watering once per week is enough. Fruition does require sufficient water, so when the plant is ready to fruit, increase watering frequency. Watering can stop after the plant sheds its leaves. Resume next spring, before new leaves bud.
Soil
plants of the Castanea genus are distributed in the mountains of Northern temperate and subtropical zones. They like warm, moist habitats and grow best in temperatures between 10 to 20 ℃ , though they can also tolerate a certain level of cold. They don’t require much moisture, are quite drought-enduring, and usually don’t need excessive watering.
Fertilizing
In the first year after planting a dwarf Chestnut seedling, apply a little fertilizer to promote the growth of the plant’s root system. From the second year on, dwarf Chestnut’s need for nutrition increases and requires nitrogen-rich acid fertilizers, such as those with a 30-10-10 or 20-10-10 NPK ratio. Before it blossoms and fruits, apply more phosphate fertilizers to facilitate the growth of flowers and fruits. Water after fertilization to help the roots better absorb the nutrients. Do not fertilize in the fall or winter, as it may affect the plant’s growth in a bad way.
Planting Instructions
Choose an open, elevated spot to plant dwarf Chestnut tree. Before planting, clear surrounding trees and weeds to allow dwarf Chestnut the best chance of sufficient sunlight and nutrition, so it can grow exuberantly and fruit in abundance. Because its fruits are spiny and fall off when ripe, dwarf Chestnut should not be planted along the streetside.
You can transplant dwarf Chestnut seedlings in the spring. Dig a pit 1.5-2 times wider than the plant’s root ball and plant level to its root collar (the juncture of the aerial and underground parts of a plant). During the transplant, protect the root system to avoid damaging the plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients. After the transplant, water the plant sufficiently and use a shading screen until the dwarf Chestnut tree is well established.
Pruning
Dwarf Chestnut tree likes sufficient sunlight. Its flowers often bloom on external new branches. Pruning its internal branches make it look more beautiful, increase internal ventilation and light, promote flowering and fruition, and reduce the chances of pests or diseases. When the plant blossoms, only keep early blooms to concentrate nutrients and make fruits plump; trim the rest. Prune old, dried, or pest-or-disease-infested branches are found at once. Do not prune on rainy days, as rain can help transmit pests and diseases and infect the pruning incisions. After pruning, apply fungicides to the incisions.
Propagation
You can propagate dwarf Chestnut tree by sowing seeds. Seed in early spring to allow ample time for the plants to grow. Seeds can be sown in pots indoors; the depth of the pots needs to be 30 cm or more. Fill the pot with soil and dig a 3 cm-deep hole. Place a chestnut in it flat side downward. Cover with soil and water every day until the seed buds. The budding seedling will grow towards the light, so rotate the pot from time to time to make sure the seedling grows up straight. When the chestnut shell falls off naturally and the frost season is over, move the pot outdoors on an overcast, rain-free day.
III. Uses and Benefits
John Smith of Jamestown made the first record of the tree and its nuts in 1612, observing its use by the Native Americans. Native Americans made an infusion of chinquapin leaves to relieve headaches and fevers. The bark, leaves, wood, and seed husks of the plant contain tannin. The nuts can be blanched, dried, and rehydrated to be prepared as food. The wood is hard and durable and is sometimes used in fences and fuel, but the plant is too small for the wood to be of commercial importance.
Chinquapins are used in landscapes for the purpose of attracting wildlife. When the base of the plant is cut or wounded at ground level the plant will grow multiple stalks producing a thick cover used by turkeys. The nuts are consumed by squirrels and rabbits while white-tailed deer graze upon the foliage.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
Wait to harvest until the chestnuts fully mature and fall off to the ground naturally, as those harvested this way are plump fruits that taste the best and store the longest. Don’t make the chestnuts fall off the tree by shaking the trunk. If you want to harvest the chestnuts to sow next year, place them in a cool shady corner, wait for the surface moisture to evaporate, and put them in dry, low-temperature storage (the temperature should not go below 0 ℃).
