Practical
Plants

Castanea crenata

Japanese Chestnut

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Castanea genus in the family Fagaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Fagaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
9 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - raw or cooked[1][10][13]. A good potato substitute[14][2][4][5]. A source of starch[6]. Very poor flavour[4]. Coarse and of little value. Very variable in size and quality, any astringency can be removed by boiling the seed in salty water[7].

Plant part
Seed

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark, leaves, wood and seed husks all contain tannin. Wood - hard, strong, light, very durable. Used for furniture, construction, fence posts etc[10][13].

Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Japan.
Habitat
Foothills[12].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - where possible sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in a seed bed outdoors[15]. The seed must be protected from mice and squirrels. The seed has a short viability and must not be allowed to become dry. It can be stored in a cool place, such as the salad compartment of a fridge, for a few months if it is kept moist, but check regularly for signs of germination. The seed should germinate in late winter or early spring. If sown in an outdoor seedbed, the plants can be left in situ for 1 - 2 years before planting them out in their permanent positions. If grown in pots, the plants can be put out into their permanent positions in the summer or autumn, making sure to give them some protection from the cold in their first winter[K].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a good well-drained slightly acid loam but succeeds in dry soils[1][3][8]. Once established, it is very drought tolerant[1][3][8]. Very tolerant of highly acid, infertile dry sands[8]. Averse to calcareous soils but succeeds on harder limestones[3][8]. The majority of species in this genus only really thrive in areas with hot summers, though this species is better adapted to British conditions than most[8]. Cultivated for its edible seed in Japan, there are many named varieties[12][14][7]. It is often also cultivated for its seed in America because it is fairly resistant to chestnut blight[5][8]. Individual trees are very variable with regard to size of the seed, resistance to blight and astringency of the seed[7]. Some cultivars have the largest seeds of any member of this genus. Trees fruit freely when only 3 - 3.5 metres tall[3]. This species is occasionally planted as a timber tree in S. Europe[11]. An excellent soil-enriching understorey in pine forests[8]. Flowers are produced on wood of the current year's growth[9]. Plants are fairly self-sterile[8]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[8]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[8].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-12-136450-x

    ↩1↩2

  5. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  7. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

  9. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩

  10. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  11. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  12. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  13. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

  14. Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  15. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

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