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How to grow a Native Chestnut Tree

Started by splitter, May 21, 2009, 08:05:25 PM

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splitter

Guys, I live in western North Carolina. When I was a boy you could find chestnut sprouts growing in the mountains everywhere. Today there not that easy to find,if you do find one take a ax with you when you dig it because it will be growing from an old chestnut root, if you don't believe this try digging one. My father years ago when we lived in Md. brought one from N.C. and set it out. The trick is to paint it up to the first limb EVERY Year if you miss a year it is dead. You know whos job it was to paint the tree every year, one year I would paint it white the next year whatever we had. DON'T use spray paint that will kill it when its little, I'm talking from experience. Use brush paint only. This will keep the blight from getting under the bark. When we left Md. the chestnut tree was as tall as our old two story farm house. When it bloomed the tree was covered with white bloom. It also produced chestnuts in the fall although the squirrels got 99 percent of them. It must have self pollinated because that was the only one I knew of. We went back several years later to visit and the first thing I noticed was the dead chestnut tree. I have one growing in my yard now I planted it approximately three years ago, its about seven feet tall and doing fine. Hope someone plans a tree. Splitter

Ironwood

I had a sprout down in my woods a few years ago, I'll try to see if it is still there. Good info.

       Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Scuba_Dave

My MIL has one at her house
I've seen some growing in the ground
I took one, not sure what happened to it
I need to grab another one

olyman

know the song about chesnuts roasting on a open fire????? went to a wine tasting place about 25 miles from here. and thats what the guy had for a "treat" to go with your wine. my mom and dad,and wife agreed, they were nearly colorless,and tasteless!!!!!!!!!!!!!! songs nice, but no reality!!!  ;D ;D

letemgrow

Join the American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation, you donate 20 bucks a year and they will send you 10 chestnut seeds to plant.  You can also buy 25 seedlings each fall.  They are working with pure american chestnuts and not the 15/16ths cross.  If posting a pick was not so dang difficult on this site I would copy my --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!-- pics of my young american chestnuts.   

Here is the link:


http://accf-online.org/

Another good read with lots and lots of pics!!!

http://www2.volstate.edu/jschibig/resurrectingthechestnut.htm

letemgrow

I can send somebody the pics if they can post them up for me.  One of the 2 year old chestnuts flowered last year. 

letemgrow

2 year old American Chestnut that bloomed. 




This photo loaded to the gallery and it was 109 KB and I did not change it, but used java.  I have another one to load that is 77 kb's and that one is too big.  It says the file has to be 45 kb's or less.  How in the world did it load up the first one at 109 kb's and then change it to be fewer kb's while not doing the same for the second pic??

Ianab

QuoteThis photo loaded to the gallery and it was 109 KB and I did not change it, but used java.  I have another one to load that is 77 kb's and that one is too big.  It says the file has to be 45 kb's or less.  How in the world did it load up the first one at 109 kb's and then change it to be fewer kb's while not doing the same for the second pic??

The java uploader should resize and compress the picture automatically. If you look at the properties of the picture above, it's now 29kb.

If you use the old style uploader you have to resize the pictures yourself before you upload them.

Best option, use the Java uploader   :)

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

letemgrow

Quote from: Ianab on June 02, 2009, 04:35:49 PM
QuoteThis photo loaded to the gallery and it was 109 KB and I did not change it, but used java.  I have another one to load that is 77 kb's and that one is too big.  It says the file has to be 45 kb's or less.  How in the world did it load up the first one at 109 kb's and then change it to be fewer kb's while not doing the same for the second pic??

The java uploader should resize and compress the picture automatically. If you look at the properties of the picture above, it's now 29kb.

If you use the old style uploader you have to resize the pictures yourself before you upload them.

Best option, use the Java uploader   :)

Ian


I tried the java for both of them and it would load the one at 109 kb, but not the 77 kb one.  To make sure it was not a one time ordeal I reloaded the 109 kb one again with java and it worked the second time too, but the 77 kb would not work with java. 

Ron Wenrich

Here in the east there were lots of crosses between the European and American chestnuts.  That's because there used to be chestnut plantations when they were selling the nuts to places like New York City.  The pollen was all around and they cross bred.

Most Americans don't survive due to all the blight that's around.  There are several resistant trees in various parts of the country.  Usually, they're isolated and haven't been around areas that are blighted. 

The blight travels in those roots that you dig up.  I've seen trees that have been up to 14" and bearing nuts.  The norm is that they die as saplings, but some do survive.

I remember talking to some state officials that said they felt the chestnut would become resistant to the blight naturally, but it would take a long time. 

The American Chestnut Foundation thinks their 15/16th pure will be blight resistant. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

letemgrow

Quote from: olyman on May 31, 2009, 09:18:51 PM
know the song about chesnuts roasting on a open fire????? went to a wine tasting place about 25 miles from here. and thats what the guy had for a "treat" to go with your wine. my mom and dad,and wife agreed, they were nearly colorless,and tasteless!!!!!!!!!!!!!! songs nice, but no reality!!!  ;D ;D



were they american chestnuts or some other variety??  The american chestnuts are the smallest and have the most flavor.   

olyman

Quote from: letemgrow on June 02, 2009, 08:26:18 PM
Quote from: olyman on May 31, 2009, 09:18:51 PM
know the song about chesnuts roasting on a open fire????? went to a wine tasting place about 25 miles from here. and thats what the guy had for a "treat" to go with your wine. my mom and dad,and wife agreed, they were nearly colorless,and tasteless!!!!!!!!!!!!!! songs nice, but no reality!!!  ;D ;D



were they american chestnuts or some other variety??  The american chestnuts are the smallest and have the most flavor.   
???? dont know. i do know that before he cooked them in a cast iron pan over a open fire. he cut a x across one side. said they explode if didnt. and said they were slightly costly.

letemgrow

Quote from: olyman on June 13, 2009, 05:14:02 PM
???? dont know. i do know that before he cooked them in a cast iron pan over a open fire. he cut a x across one side. said they explode if didnt. and said they were slightly costly.


Try some chinquapin's...they taste like corn pops to me, others say they are a pecan dipped in honey. 

JasonV

How do I know what variety I have?  We have 12-14 chestnut trees that have been there as long as I can remember (over 35 years).  They are not very tall- maybe 40-50 feet, and most of them are probably 18-24" at BH.  They are quite limby.  The smallest tree is about 6" in diameter and is already as tall as the others.

Thanks,

Jason

letemgrow

Quote from: JasonV on June 15, 2009, 11:24:38 PM
How do I know what variety I have?  We have 12-14 chestnut trees that have been there as long as I can remember (over 35 years).  They are not very tall- maybe 40-50 feet, and most of them are probably 18-24" at BH.  They are quite limby.  The smallest tree is about 6" in diameter and is already as tall as the others.

Thanks,

Jason


Here is a link that may come in handy for you Jason

How to tell the difference between American and Chinese Chestnut

JasonV


Ron Scott

R8: Champion American Chestnut Found in Alabama

A 74-foot-tall American chestnut tree has been discovered in the Talladega NF in Alabama. Scott Stephens, a Forest Service technician, was surprised when he found chestnuts on the ground while mapping out a nearby timber sale. The tree was recognized recently as the largest of its kind in Alabama and an example that has become rare in America since chestnut blight nearly wiped out the species in the early half of the 20th century. The specimen, at 74 feet tall and 28 inches thick is now an Alabama "champion tree," the biggest of its kind in the state.

Chief's Newsletter
~Ron

letemgrow

Quote from: Ron Scott on August 30, 2009, 12:40:50 PM
R8: Champion American Chestnut Found in Alabama

A 74-foot-tall American chestnut tree has been discovered in the Talladega NF in Alabama. Scott Stephens, a Forest Service technician, was surprised when he found chestnuts on the ground while mapping out a nearby timber sale. The tree was recognized recently as the largest of its kind in Alabama and an example that has become rare in America since chestnut blight nearly wiped out the species in the early half of the 20th century. The specimen, at 74 feet tall and 28 inches thick is now an Alabama "champion tree," the biggest of its kind in the state.

Chief's Newsletter


That is good news!!!  They are not cutting it down are they?


That is good news!!!  I hope they keep the tree instead of cutting it down!!

Ron Scott

Chestnut Trees, Once Nearly Gone, Thrive as Seedlings

September 24 – The Charlotte Observer reports that 500 blight-resistant American chestnut saplings are thriving a year after they were planted in three national forests—a milestone in the long-term effort to re-establish the tree in its native habitat.

For more information, visit the Charlotte Observer website.

The E-Forester
~Ron

letemgrow

Even more good news!!!    ;D

Patience and resilience will for sure pay off for the american chestnut.  I have some 3 year old american chestnuts that were blighted when they arrived as seedlings and 3 out of the 4 with blight were girdled but one has been unphased by the blight so far.  It just peels the outer bard some, but has not slowed the growth of the tree any and there were all pure american chestnuts from the ACCF. 


SwampDonkey

Just be aware, that it was believed they had a blight resistant chestnut back in the late 40's, it got to 45 feet tall and over 7", then the blight got it around 1969.  :(
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

letemgrow

Quote from: SwampDonkey on October 03, 2009, 07:53:36 PM
Just be aware, that it was believed they had a blight resistant chestnut back in the late 40's, it got to 45 feet tall and over 7", then the blight got it around 1969.  :(


Was the tree blighted before that or was that the first time blight was noticed on the tree?

SwampDonkey

The hybrid was from crossing a Chinese and an American chestnut, then the offspring back crossed with the American parent. As far as I can tell from the notes in the document below it was growing in with blight infected trees and later contracted the disease.

http://chestnut.cas.psu.edu/PDFs/Journals/journ_vol11-1_97.pdf
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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