Growing an American Chestnut

[DPDISXR4Ti]

I've been "following" this Chestnut tree for three years now. Although it seems to suffer some die-off on the upper branches each year, it comes back again the following year as strong as before.

Any idea if anything can be done to help it along and prevent it from the blight?

 

[IyaMan]

Good luck. Chestnut blight is what nearly wiped out the entire species in the past 100 years. Even what few American chestnuts remain are getting hit with it, and the main way of managing it would be to immediately remove any infected tree. If this is the only tre you have, there may be little to do. Maybe removing any infected limb might help (and burn it, don't just throw the limb on a compost heap))

The blight supposedly came from Japan, and the local species of chestnut trees grow easily here and are resistant to that blight.

Is the tree yet producing nuts? (they'd be green, spikey, and about golf-ball size now)

 

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Thanks for the reply. This tree is in a park on a ridge - I've visited it a few times over the past three years. I'm aware of the blight issue - that's why this tree interests me. I'm not sure if it's producing nuts yet. What would be the best time to harvest those?

You can see in the pic that there is a branch which is dying off. I realize it may very well be a lost cause, but it sounds like I'd be doing it a favor to clip it off?

 

[IyaMan]

I realize it may very well be a lost cause, but it sounds like I'd be doing it a favor to clip it off?

I'm no arborist, but if there are signs of blight or the limb is dying, it'd probably be best to remove it ASAP. Chestnut is tough, so pruning can be done anytime probably.

As far as nuts, you'd see them by now and they are quite obvious, and they are full growth about early to mid autumn. In Japan they have a saying that a chestnut tree takes at least three years before it begins to produce nuts, so if this is the third year you've been seeing it, then it might not produce till next year. If its suffering annual die-off, then it may take longer... if ever.

 

[DPDISXR4Ti]

The tree is definitely more than 3 years old; it's just that I found it 3 years ago. I'll try to get over to it some time this fall and report back.

 

[Mad Professor]

I've been "following" this Chestnut tree for three years now. Although it seems to suffer some die-off on the upper branches each year, it comes back again the following year as strong as before.

Any idea if anything can be done to help it along and prevent it from the blight?

I've seen a lot like that in Massachusetts. I think they sprout up from stumps "killed" by the blight. They get so big, then die off, and sprout back up again.

Might want to google up American Chestnut Foundation. They are trying to breed a resistant strain

 

[DPDISXR4Ti]

About a year ago I spent some time hiking in the Berkshires and I also noticed several small Chestnut trees along the trails. I guess if someone had figured out a way to keep them alive (short of the hybrid breeding), it would be big news.