American chestnut
Castanea dentata
USDA zones5 to 8
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size50 to 75 feet tall50 to 75 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Yellow-white
- Foliage color
- Yellow-green
- Soil types
- Loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acidic (pH<6.8)
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
American chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a tree for woodland gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to moist, loamy or clay soil. It feeds the larvae of around 125 species of butterflies and moths. Deer usually look elsewhere for a meal. The fragrant yellow-white flowers also draw birds and butterflies.
Pairs well with Sassafras, Wild geranium, and Bracken.
Native range
Eastern United States.