The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. [3] As is true of all species in the genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts.

American chestnut thrived in eastern North American forests for thousands of years, but in the 20th century, an exotic fungus almost eliminated the species. To date, chestnut restoration has mostly meant breeding blight-resistant trees.

2024年5月3日 · More than a century ago, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a common overstory tree across portions of eastern North American forests. These giants thrived on moist, well drained slopes and ridges across the Appalachians, towering more than 100 feet tall with an average diameter at breast height (DBH) of five to eight feet.

2024年8月1日 · More than 60 American chestnut seedlings were planted by Forest Service employees and volunteers at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky, May 2, 2024. The trees were planted with multiple layers of protection to give them the best chance for survival in restoring the species.

2019年4月29日 · Mature American chestnuts have been virtually extinct for decades. The tree’s demise started with something called ink disease in the early 1800s, which steadily killed chestnut in the southern portion of its range. The final blow happened at the turn of the 20th century when a disease called chestnut blight swept through Eastern forests.

The American chestnut, Castanea dentata, once dominated portions of the eastern U.S. forests. (View the American chestnut range map .) Numbering nearly four billion, the tree was among the largest, tallest, and fastest-growing in these forests.

The American Chestnut Foundation takes a holistic approach toward chestnut restoration, utilizing a three-pronged research strategy known as 3BUR (Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biocontrol United for Restoration).

Before 1900, American Chestnut (Castenea dentata) was a dominant eastern North American forest species. Then an ecological disaster occurred on par with an asteroid extinction event, and four billion American Chestnuts died.

2017年10月23日 · The American chestnut was one of the largest trees in the forests of eastern North America. Some individual trees grew to be 100 feet tall and 10 feet broad (diameter) in the trunk. It grew in most areas, especially on hillsides and ridges.

Growing wild-type American chestnut trees helps preserve genetic diversity for future breeding and diversification and provides a wonderful learning experience for you to grow, care for, and maintain American chestnut trees on your unique site.