Ashe's Chinkapin, Dwarf Chestnut, Allegheny Chinkapin
Castanea pumila ashei
🌿 Morphology
🌞 Growing conditions
🌍 Origin and family
🌾 Uses
Warning: Despite the care taken in writing this sheet, it is essential to cross-reference sources before using or consuming any plant. When in doubt, consult a qualified professional
Permaculture uses
The nuts are edible, though smaller than those of other chestnut species. Trees provide habitat and food for wildlife. Can be used as a rootstock for grafting other Castanea species to improve disease resistance. Considered more disease-resistant than Castanea dentata.
Permapeople description
Castanea pumila var. ashei is a variety of the Allegheny chinkapin. It is a shrub or small tree typically found in the southeastern United States.
Botanical description
Castanea pumila ashei is a deciduous shrub or small tree, typically reaching heights of 6-15 feet. It features lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate leaves with serrated margins. The upper leaf surface is dark green and glabrous, while the underside is paler and pubescent. Male flowers are borne in long, slender catkins, and female flowers are found at the base of some catkins. The fruit is a spiny bur containing a single, small nut. The bark is gray-brown and slightly furrowed. It's found in the southeastern United States.
Companion planting
Generally beneficial to other woodland plants. Avoid planting near plants susceptible to fungal diseases, as chinkapins can sometimes harbor these. Benefits from association with mychorrizal fungi.
Propagation methods
Seed sowing (requires stratification), root cuttings, grafting (onto resistant rootstock).
History and traditions
Native Americans historically consumed the nuts and utilized the tree for various purposes. Early European settlers also consumed the nuts. The species has been used in breeding programs to develop chestnut varieties resistant to chestnut blight.
Usage calendar
Flowering: Spring (May-June). Nut ripening: Autumn (September-October). Planting: Autumn or Spring. Pruning: Late Winter/Early Spring.