American chestnut

Leaves

Form

• Deciduous, alternate, simple
• Gradually tapering to both ends
• Veins straight, parallel
• 15–20 per side

Length

• 15–28 cm

Colour

• Yellowish-green

Margin

• Teeth prominent, bristle-tipped

Petiole

• Short

Buds

Form

• Ovoid, pointed
• 2 or 3 hairless scales
• End bud similar to lateral buds
• Leaf scars semi-oval, somewhat raised, with numerous vein scars

Twigs

Form

• Stout, shiny, numerous lenticels
• Pith 5-pointed

Colour

• Lenticels pale

Flowers

Form

• Pollen flowers on short stalks in semi-erect catkins
• Seed flowers solitary, or in clusters of 2 or 3, at the base of pollen catkins

Length

• Stalks 12–20 cm

Structure

• Monoecious

Floral timing

• After leaves are almost fully grown

Fruits

Form

• Edible nut
• In small clusters of 1–5 within a spiny bur-like husk that splits into 4 parts
• Nut ovoid, flat on 1 side
• Pointed, dull, smooth

Width

• Husk 5–8 cm

Colour

• Nut brownish

Seedlings

Form

• Cotyledons fleshy
• Remain in the seed coat under the surface

Colour

• Cotyledons white

Bark

Form

• Smooth, with age separating into broad flat-topped ridges

Colour

• Dark brown

Wood

Texture

• Moderately hard and strong
• Very decay-resistant

Colour

• Reddish-brown

Morphology

• Oak-like grain in tangential face, straight-grained
• Ring-porous, large pores visible
• Annual rings prominent; rays very small

Size

Height

• Seldom to 10 m

Diameter

• A few exceed 50 cm in Ontario

Habitat

Site

• Well-drained sands and gravels

Associated species

• Usually mixed with other broadleaf trees

COSEWIC Status

Endangered