Chestnut Comparison Chart
Chinkapin | Japanese | Chinese | European | American | Hybrids | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Picture | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Leaf taper to stem | straight | curved | curved | curved | straight | Be aware that all chestnuts can cross-pollinate, so that the chestnut you are trying to identify may actually be a mix of two or more different types of chestnuts, known as a hybrid. We can attempt to identify your chestnut, if you are unable to do so, by means of a leaf and twig sample. Please press one or two fresh leaves between cardboard with a 4-6 inch twig. Do not use plastic unless it is perforated or the leaves will mold. Crushed and bent leaves will not be in good enough condition to positively analyze. Mail to: Kendra Collins New England Regional Science Coordinator Northern Research Station, US Forest Service 705 Spear Street South Burlington, VT 05403 |
Leaf taper to tip | straight | curved | curved | curved | straight | |
Teeth | 1-3 mm, small, sharp, no hook | tiny, often only bristles, no hook | large or small, not pronounced or hooked | big, sharp or rounded, no hook | 6 mm, big, sharp, and often curved (hooked) | |
Underside | sun leaves hairy | many large dots (glands), sun leaves hairy | sparse dots, sun leaves hairy | many small dots, sun leaves hairy on some specimens but not others | many small dots, sun leaves not hairy, long sparse hairs only on midrib | |
Twig | hair tips, purple | pink to light red, large white lenticels | hairy tips, tan to pea green, large elliptical yellow lenticels | stout, dark brown, small white lenticels | slender, smooth, hairless, reddish brown, small white lenticels | |
Bud | 3 mm, downy dark red, pointed, longer than wide, sticks out from stem | glossy brown, as long as it is wide (rounded) | hairy, tan, dull brown to black, rounded and flat against stem | dark red, fat and globular | long 6 mm, smooth, reddish brown, pointed or longer than it is wide, sticks out from stem | |
Nut | 1 nut, 1/2 tip pointed with a round cross section | 2-3 nuts, 1-2 in. | 2-3 nuts, 3/4-2 in., rounded hairy tip, sunburst pattern | 2-3 nuts, 1-2 in. | 2-3 nuts, 1/2-1 in., pointed tip, top 1/3-2/3 downy, sunburst at base | |
Taste | sweet | not sweet | sweet | starchy | sweet | |
Blight resistance | slight | moderate | high | slight | none |