Chinese chestnut | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Beech
Family (botanic) Fagaceae
Planting site City parkway, Residential and parks, Wide median
Tree or plant type Tree
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Non-native
Size range Large tree (more than 40 feet)
Mature height 40-60 feet
Mature width 40-60 feet
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
Soil preference Acid soil, Moist, well-drained soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil, Dry sites
Season of interest midsummer, late summer, early fall
Flower color and fragrance White
Shape or form Broad
Growth rate Moderate
Transplants well No
Planting considerations May be difficult to find in nurseries, Messy fruit/plant parts
Wildlife Small mammals
Has cultivars Yes

Native geographic location and habitat:

Native to China and Korea.

Bark color and texture :

Bark is gray-brown, ridged, and furrowed.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

Leaves are elongated, alternate and simple, with coarsely toothed margins. Each tooth ends in a bristle tip. Leaves are dark green in summer and yellow to yellow brown in fall.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:

Small white, male flowers on a pencil-thin spike which is 6 inches long. Female flowers are also small and white, borne in clusters near the base of the male flower spike. Trees flower in July and the flowers have a musty odor.