Chinese vs. American Chestnut
(Castanea mollissima vs. Castanea dentata)

Leavesamchlftp

Top View

American Leaf (left):
Leaf is long in relation to its width
Large, prominent teeth on edge; bristle at the end of each tooth curves inward
Base of leaf blade tapers sharply
Leaf is very thin and papery

Chinese Leaf (right):
Leaf is oval-shaped
Teeth are smaller
Base of leaf blade is rounded
Leaf is thick and waxy-feeling

 

 

amchlfbtBottom View

American Leaf (left):
Elongated leaf
Large, prominent teeth on edge; bristle on teeth curves inward
Blade tapers sharply to meet stem at base of leaf blade
Light green underside on leaves exposed to the sun

Chinese Leaf (right):
Oval-shaped leaf
Small teeth on edge
Base of leaf blade rounded
Underside of sun leaves look whitish because of many hairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buds & Stems

ambudAmerican Buds and Lenticels

Pointed buds that angle away from the stem
Stems smooth and hairless
Stem color reddish brown to dark green
Small but numerous lenticels on stem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

chbudChinese Buds and Lenticels

Rounded buds that hug the stem
Hairy stems and hairy leaf veins
Stem color tan to pea-green
Large lenticels (bumps) on stem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stipules

amerstipAmerican Stipules

Slender
Angle sharply out from stem
Usually fall off in June

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

chstipChinese Stipules

Broad
Cover the buds
Remain on the stem through September

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burs & Nuts

American Bur ——–Chinese Bur

amer_vs_chin_bur

American Chestnut Burs:
A dense mass of long, slender spines
Spines are 2 to 3 cm long, 0.5 mm thick
Up to 3 nuts per bur

Chinese Chestnut Burs:
A sparse mass of short, thick spines
Spines are 1 to 2 cm long, 1 mm thick
Up to 3 nuts per bur

 

American Nut —— Chinese Nut

amer_vs_chinese_nuts_top

 

 

 

 

 

amer_nuts_endview

American Chestnuts:
Nuts are relatively small, 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter
Tips of American chestnuts are pointed
Nuts are hairy over 1/3 to 2/3 of length from pointed end
Vascular bundles in a sunburst pattern on hilum end
2 to 3 nuts in each bur

chin_nuts_endview-1

Chinese Chestnuts:
Nuts are relatively large, 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter
Tips of Chinese chestnuts are rounded
Only the tips of the nuts are hairy
Vascular bundles in a diffuse pattern on hilum end
2 to 3 nuts in each bur