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| I recently found this tree on our property in central VA. I'm fairly sure it is native not planted.
There is one nut per shell. I'm guessing chinquapin but I'd like some confirmation. I'd also be interested in any advise on growing them from seed. I'm taking a shot at it. I just planted 126 of the nuts under lights indoors. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Jack So it is relative of the American chestnut. Can you roast and eat them? Tony |
This post was edited by tonytran on Sun, Sep 21, 14 at 0:38
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| Looks more like a hazelnut (filbert). Mrs. G |
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- Posted by ForestAndFarm 7A (My Page) on Sat, Sep 20, 14 at 23:08
| I ate a few of them off the tree and they taste like chestnuts only a bit sweeter. The shells were easy to crack with my teeth. Do filberts have husks that look like chestnuts? The tree picture may not have been clear. Here is a zoom of the husks:
The leaves don't look like hazelnut leaves to me, but I'm no expert. I found two of these trees and they are the first I've found on the property. Tony, This is Jack, not Curits. |
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| Jack The close up photo looks like my chestnut tree. Tony |
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- Posted by ForestAndFarm 7A (My Page) on Sun, Sep 21, 14 at 1:23
| Yes, that is why I think it is a Chinquapin. They are just like mini-chestnuts. One nut per husk rather than multiple nuts in a husk. Hopefully someone familiar with these will respond. |
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| Jack, Look at the video in the link below. I think you have the same tree. Lucky find. Enjoy! Tony |
Here is a link that might be useful: Allegheny chinquapin
This post was edited by tonytran on Sun, Sep 21, 14 at 8:47
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| Agree, chinquapin. Don't expect fruiting for many years, before blight wipes it out. That's the pattern, they get to fruiting size, then blight hits the trunk. |
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- Posted by milehighgirl CO USDA 5B/Sunset 2B (My Page) on Sun, Sep 21, 14 at 10:08
| Is it the same blight that wiped out the American chestnut? |
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| Yes, mhg. Same blight fungus also affects chinkapin - which is a member of the same genus, Castanea. |
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- Posted by ForestAndFarm 7A (My Page) on Mon, Sep 22, 14 at 20:59
| The reading I've done suggest that chinquapin are more resistant than American chestnuts to the blight. I've also seen references that unlike chestnuts, chinquapins can produce nuts even if infected by blight. I guess time will tell. I have a lot of Dunstan chestnuts that I planted a few years ago on the property. They are a cross that is also supposed to be resistant to blight. |
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- Posted by ForestAndFarm 7A (My Page) on Wed, Sep 24, 14 at 19:12
| I think I found a couple more today but they are young and not bearing yet:
Anyone else trying to grow these from nuts? |
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| Yes, they look like the Allegheny Chinquapins we found SW Va early last month. I planted over a dozen. Used Peat/potting soil at 2:1, no fertilizer in the potting soil. Planted right away as they are fall germinating plants. They started putting down roots within a few days and now 4-5 have small 1 inch stems rising about the soil line and one with a few very small leaves. We are planning on putting 4-6 in the ground if we can in the spring if they survive and do well. I was planning on keeping them in warm growing site through the winter as they do not seem to need a chill, but may put some in the fridge or outside in pots to see if they do any better. The ones we ate had a sweet taste, dried ones were like a peanut. They were not that hard to get out of their shells, as the nuts stayed in the spiny shells hanging on the tree til we found them and you could easily pick them out. I understand they can be affected by the blight, but they quickly grow and form new stems and seed produced quick. We are expecting 6-8 foot shrubs. The parents we found were about that sized and along the side of our road. Let me know of your results if you grow them. |
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- Posted by ForestAndFarm 7A (My Page) on Fri, Oct 10, 14 at 14:03
| Collie, Thanks for the report. How long from when you planted your nuts before you saw top growth? Did they already have a root radicle forming when you plant them? |
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- Posted by ForestAndFarm 7A (My Page) on Sat, Oct 11, 14 at 14:57
| I just got home from a week at the farm and checked the trees. Of the 126 nuts I planted, 12 of them are not showing some top growth. Here is a picture of the largest:
They seem to be behaving very much like chestnuts so far. |
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