Castanea sativa (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Castanea sativa Miller

Family: Fagaceae

Vernacular names

• European chestnut, Spanish chestnut (En). Marronnier, châtaignier (Fr).

Distribution

Originating from the Mediterranean, now cultivated in mild temperate Europe and subtropical regions. Occasionally planted in United States, Soviet Union, and in mountain areas of the tropics, e.g. in Indonesia at 1400 m altitude.

Uses

The nuts are eaten raw, roasted or dried, or prepared into chocolates, pastries, etc. The bark contains tannin. Trees are also planted as ornamentals or to protect against erosion.

Observations

Tree, up to 30 m tall. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, up to 22 cm long, coarsely serrate. Fruit a spiny 2-4-valved burl (cupule), containing 1-4 nuts. Nuts flattened to subglobose, 1-3 cm diameter, brown. Many cultivars exist. Other Castanea species with edible nuts might be worth trying in the higher altitude tropics, e.g. C. dentata Borkh. (American chestnut), C. mollissima Blume (Chinese chestnut), C. crenata Sieb. & Zucc. (Japanese chestnut), C. pumila (L.) P. Miller (dwarf chestnut).

Selected sources

10, 26, 51.