Practical
Plants

Castanea pumila

Chinquapin

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
Growth rate
slow
Height
4 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[6][15][2]. Sweet with a nice nutty flavour[14][17][5], it is very acceptable raw and has a superior flavour to sweet chestnuts (C. sativa)[142, 161, K]. When baked it becomes even sweeter and develops a floury texture, it makes an excellent potato or cereal substitute[K].The seed is quite small, about half the size of C. dentata[5]. It is sold in local markets in America[17]. The seed husks only contain one (rarely two) seed[11]. The seed contains 45% starch and 2.5% protein[8].

Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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

The leaves contain tannin and are antiperiodic, astringent and tonic[14][15][8]. An infusion of the leaves has been used as an external wash for the feverish condition common to colds[8][12].

Product or use
Antiperiodic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

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

The bark, leaves, wood and seed husks all contain tannin. Wood - coarse-grained, hard, strong, light, durable, easy to split. It weighs 37lb per cubic foot. Too small for commercial use, but it is occasionally used for fence posts, fuel etc[14][15][9][10].

Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Florida, Missouri and Texas.
Habitat
Dry sandy ridges and rich hillsides where it forms thickets, also in woods and on the borders of swamps[13][17].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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[16]. 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]. Division of suckers in winter[7]. They can be planted straight out into their permanent positions.

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][7]. Once established, it is very drought tolerant[1][3][7]. Very tolerant of highly acid, infertile dry sands[7]. Averse to calcareous soils but succeeds on harder limestones[3][7]. This species is an excellent soil-enriching understorey in pine forests[7], growing and fruiting well so long as the canopy of pines is fairly light. Although it is very winter-hardy, this species only really thrives in areas with hot summers[7]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. Plants can spread widely by means of underground suckers[3]. Flowers are produced on wood of the current year's growth[10]. Plants are fairly self-sterile[7]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[7]. Fruits are produced in 2 - 3 years from seed[4]. One report says that plants never fruit in Britain[3], but a 2 metre tall plant at Wisley fruits most years[K]. Trees on our Cornish trial grounds produced a few female flowers when 1 metre tall and 4 years old[K]. This species is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed in N. America, there are some named varieties[5]. The plants produce seeds abundantly in the wild[5]. The sub-species C. pumila ashei. Sudw. (Zone 7) is a coastal form, found from Virginia to Texas[7]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[7].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  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↩5

  4. Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0802707699

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. 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↩11

  8. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  11. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

  17. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

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