Castanea mollissima: Uses (Ethnobotany)
The nut is edible raw, boiled, or baked.
Plant Profile: Castanea mollissima
Taxonomy: Castanea mollissimaNames
Chinese Chestnut
Phonetic Spelling:kas-TAY-nee-uh maw-LISS-ih-muh
Genus:Castanea
Species:mollissima
Family:Fagaceae
This large tree can grow to approximately 40 feet in both height and width. Its low-branching structure makes it an excellent choice for landscaping. While the fragrance of its flowers may not appeal to everyone, the tree produces edible nuts that attract wildlife; however, caution is advised due to their spiny nature. Additionally, it is resistant to chestnut blight.
The tree features a symmetrical, rounded crown.
Castanea mollissima Feature Summary
Castanea mollissima Image Gallery
Tags
#deciduous
#wildlife plant
#playground
#edible nuts
#children's garden
#fantz
Similar Plants
Castanea mollissima is often confused with:
Castanea mollissima Feature Summary
Attributes
The nut is edible raw, boiled, or baked.
China to N. Korea
Wildlife Enhancement
Edible nuts
Edible fruit
Pieces Used in Games
Textural
Fruit
The oval, round shaped nut ranges from 1-3 inches in length. The nut is crisp, meaty and sweet, though not as sweet as American chestnuts. It is good for fresh-eating, roasting, boiling and baking. Ripens in mid or lat September through October.
Nut
Brown/Copper
Edible
Flowers
The flower is creamy and showy.
White
Gold/Yellow
Cream/Tan
Gray/Silver
Spring
Whole Plant Traits
Edible
Tree
Deciduous
Rounded
Medium
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Leaves
Deciduous
Green
Cream/Tan
Gold/Yellow
Alternate
Oblong
Lanceolate
Stem
Landscape
Edible Garden
Children's Garden
Recreational Play Area
Bark
Ridges
Castanea mollissima Image Gallery
Castanea mollissima Attributes
Castanea mollissima: Country Or Region Of Origin
China to N. Korea
Castanea mollissima: Wildlife Value
Wildlife Enhancement
Castanea mollissima: Edibility
Edible nuts
Castanea mollissima: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Castanea mollissima Fruit
Castanea mollissima: Fruit Description
The oval, round shaped nut ranges from 1-3 inches in length. The nut is crisp, meaty and sweet, though not as sweet as American chestnuts. It is good for fresh-eating, roasting, boiling and baking. Ripens in mid or lat September through October.
Castanea mollissima: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Castanea mollissima: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Castanea mollissima: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Castanea mollissima: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Castanea mollissima Flowers
Castanea mollissima: Flower Description
The flower is creamy and showy.
Castanea mollissima: Flower Color
Cream/Tan
Gold/Yellow
Gray/Silver
White
Castanea mollissima: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Castanea mollissima Whole Plant Traits
Castanea mollissima: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Castanea mollissima: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Castanea mollissima: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Castanea mollissima: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Castanea mollissima: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Castanea mollissima Cultural Conditions
Castanea mollissima: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Castanea mollissima: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Castanea mollissima: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Castanea mollissima Leaves
Castanea mollissima: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Castanea mollissima: Leaf Color
Cream/Tan
Green
Castanea mollissima: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Castanea mollissima: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Castanea mollissima: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Castanea mollissima: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Castanea mollissima Stem
Castanea mollissima: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Castanea mollissima Landscape
Castanea mollissima: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Castanea mollissima: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Castanea mollissima Bark
Castanea mollissima: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
