Grab some nuts this fall. Let’s see what’s going on there by trying to get seedlings started. Keep looking for a big tree or two around. It’s highly likely that you’re into a former chestnut grove that has extensive underground chestnut capability. Is it private property?
Verdict on this one? The manager of the forest next to our tree farm, was excited to see this Chestnut. He was going to check further. He believes it has been planted by my grandfather or father. It is located near our bridge at the creek. Soil is sandy in places there.
Yes private property. So the first two pictures from today were 30 miles from my house. The most recent pictures are from 2 minutes up the road from me and yes, there is/was a grove in that spot. This larger tree looks very hopeful. I didn’t speak to the property owner but his neighbor across the street came out and we chatted. I educated him on the significance of the tree and we shot the breeze for a bit. I’m going to go back to scout for a “mother” tree later this week.
I wish I was more well versed in these... The leaves look a little different than what I’m seeing here. I wonder if what you have is a Chinkapin (Chinquapin)?
Thanks for the link. I emailed the ACF pictures of the healthy larger tree. If they want leaf samples I’ll get a hold of the property owner and clear it with them first.
I got up extra early for work this morning so I could scout for more American Chestnut... and was not disappointed. This one across the road from the ones I found yesterday 2 miles from work. What’s interesting about this young tree is it doesn’t appear to be a stump sprout either.
Driving very slowly. I read somewhere that Chestnut commonly grew in places where there were Chestnut Oaks and Beech around, and that surviving stumps would be in sunny locations. It just happens that Freeman Road in Middletown near my work is exactly that. Sandy soil, sunny roadsides, most of the land owned by Eversource so no logging... When I have time I'm going to park my truck, get out and walk for a while in the area. There's got to be more somewhere, and larger trees I'm hoping.
Sounds like an ideal lunch activity, unless its hot out! Nice to know im not the only tree nerd on here!
I know of a few on the mountains here, they don't get too big before the blight knocks them back again.....
Biggest one yet. It’s growing very crooked but seems healthy otherwise. It sprouted from the base of a red maple.
This morning I got an email back from the President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation. Oddly enough he lives 3 miles up the road from me and we’re meeting up soon to confirm all of the Chestnuts I’ve found this week. This is amazing.
Ok, I’ve come to the conclusion that these are not rare. They’re turning up almost everywhere I’m looking, in the spots that I have a hunch might be favorable anyway. I just went for a walk in the park down the road from me and way up on a hillside came across a humongous grove of them. Some fresh saplings, some a few years old. Tallest one I saw was about 15 feet. It’ll be interesting when I meet up with the guy from the ACF. Unless I find more mature trees, I won’t keep hogging The Woodpile feed with my American Chestnut MANIA
Last one and I’ll wrap it up. This entire hill is an absolutely enormous grove. Sandy soil and acidic from being surrounded by red pines. A Chestnut community frozen in perpetual death. I could spend over an hour here counting the Chestnut trees. I can’t though. It’s pretty sobering knowing that this is all these trees will ever amount to. Young shoots growing around a dead trunk that makes it to 4-6” around if it’s lucky. It amazes me they’ve been doing this for over a century. I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling pretty deflated now. Doomed saplings and street names with no associated trees. I lived on this road when I was still in diapers.
