Sweet chestnut

Introduced to Britain over 2000 years ago, sweet chestnuts are often considered an 'honorary' native trees. Mature trees are usually magnificent in size, with many having huge hollow trunks that several people can fit into at once.

What other names does it have?

Can also be known as	Spanish chestnut
Generic name	Sweet chestnut
Latin name	Castanea sativa
Family name	Beech
Latin family name	Fagaceae

What type of tree is it?

Is it a broadleaf or conifer?	It is a broadleaf
Does it lose its leaves in autumn?	Yes, it is deciduous

Species description:

Average height	20-30m

Leaf

Description	The long leaves have around 20 pairs of straight parallel veins each ending in a saw shaped tooth at the edge
Shape	Oval
Size	Up to 20cm long
Colour	Green
Leaf bud	The blunt ended, hairless buds have only a few bud scales
Leaf stalk	Short stalk
Leaf arrangement	Alternate

Flower, seed, and fruit

Type of flower	Catkin
Flower size	Flowers can be up to 15cm long
Flowering season	Mid-summer
Tree/flower sex	Both sexes
Fruit colour	Brown within a green spiny case
Fruit season	October onwards
Type of seed body	Nut
Seeds dispersed by	Wildlife

Bark and twig

Bark description	Silvery-purple with vertical cracks on young trees. Older trees develop a network of ridges which spiral up the tree
Twig Description	Grey in colour and knobbly on older growths

Where is it usually found?

Is it native or non-native to the British Isles?	Non-native - naturalised
Where is its natural range?	South Europe to North Africa and Asia
Preferred soil type or environmental conditions?	Tolerates a wide range of conditions. Widely planted in the past in parks and gardens
What is its British conservation status?	Common

Additional information

Human uses of tree and timber

The sweet chestnut had two main uses, firstly as a food source and secondly for timber. It is thought the tree was brought here by the Romans as the nuts were a good source of energy and could be ground into flour. Other reciepes have been found which include the nuts as ingredients in soup, a vanilla flavoured spread and stuffing. The timber is also highly valued. It is more durable that oak when used outdoors and was cheaper. In some areas of Kent and Sussex whole woods were planted to supply timber and the smaller coppiced wood

Flowering, twisted bark

Husk with sharp spine and fruit

Large spined teeth and flowers

Illustrations supplied by
Collins

BritishTrees