Medicinal Trees: Castanea, Chestnut

judsoncarroll4

https://judsoncarroll.substack.com/p/medicinal-trees-castanea-chestnut?s=w

judsoncarroll4

I am surprised no one has kidded me about this one!

Torey

I'm a bit dense sometimes. Not sure what I should be kidding you about.

I don't think I have ever seen a true chestnut. We have a lot of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) that has been widely planted in southern BC, where it has self seeded in some areas. But no relation, not even in the same family. There is a pink flowering one, as well as the standard white, that is quite stunning. They will grow in my area, although not as many people plant them here as further south.

I checked with my plant atlas and it says that there are sites in southwestern BC where domestic landscape plantings of American chestnut (C. dentata) have escaped and are "invading" native woodlands. I will be sure to check out one of the sites next time I am in the area. Info says zone 4, so maybe I could dig up one of the "invaders" and try to bring it home.

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/914204#Comment_914204

THe ghosts...

Torey

🤣 I never kid people about seeing ghosts! Touchy subject. 🤣

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/914206#Comment_914206

True!