Castanea mollissima, Chinese chestnut, broad leafy tree casting summer shade
Castanea mollissima, Chinese chestnut foliage and spiny burrs
Castanea mollissima, ripe chestnuts in a split spiny husk
Castanea mollissima, Chinese chestnut, broad leafy tree casting summer shade
Castanea mollissima, Chinese chestnut foliage and spiny burrs
Castanea mollissima, ripe chestnuts in a split spiny husk
Edible

Chinese Chestnut

Castanea mollissima

$25.00
1 Gallon USDA Zones 4–8 Full Sun and Part Shade Matures 30–40 Feet

A blight-resistant chestnut that stepped into the void left by the American chestnut, Castanea mollissima casts generous shade and drops large, sweet nuts each fall.

5 in stock

Pickup available at Aiken Nursery

Usually ready in 2-4 days

Healthy-arrival guarantee Free shipping over $150
Roots wrapped in moist soil and padded for safe transit
Grown and shipped from our nursery in Aiken, SC
Shipping later in the season? Schedule your delivery date in your cart.
The Full Story

Few trees carry as much historical weight as the chestnuts, and Castanea mollissima carries it gracefully. This handsome, wide-spreading Chinese native stepped into the void left by one of the great ecological tragedies of the twentieth century, the near-total collapse of the American chestnut, and has been feeding people, wildlife, and the soil ever since. Come fall, the spiny husks crack open to reveal some of the largest, sweetest chestnuts a gardener can grow.

The story behind the tree is worth knowing. When chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) arrived from Asia in 1904, the disease moved through eastern North America with devastating efficiency, killing an estimated four billion Castanea dentata trees within fifty years and erasing an entire ecological keystone, mast producer, wildlife anchor, and timber tree from the canopy. Native to China and Korea and having evolved alongside the blight for millennia, Castanea mollissima carries a natural resistance the American chestnut never had the chance to develop.

What this tree brings to the garden is considerable on its own terms: vigorous and generous growth, broad and leafy, casting real shade by midsummer, and in autumn a harvest that can be genuinely abundant. The nuts are large by chestnut standards, rich-flavored, and surprisingly versatile in the kitchen, and the wildlife find them just as compelling, honestly probably more so. A living thread connecting the ecological history of two continents, and a deeply worthwhile addition to any landscape with room to let the canopy breathe.

Photos courtesy of Jim Robbins and Cathy Dewitt.
Will this plant thrive in your zone?

Plant Profile
At a glance
Hardiness
USDA Zones 4–8
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade
Soil
Moist, Well-drained
Mature size
Height 30–40 Feet · Spread 30–40 Feet
Growth rate
Slow to Moderate
Seasonality
Deciduous
Design Notes

Give the Chinese chestnut a large, sunny, well-drained site with room to spread thirty to forty feet, as a shade tree for a lawn, an orchard anchor, or the centerpiece of an edible landscape. Plant two or more for cross-pollination and a real nut crop, and site away from patios and walkways, since the spiny burrs drop in quantity and are not kind underfoot. The bold, coarse-textured canopy casts dependable summer shade and turns yellow to bronze in fall; underplant only at the dripline, and let the tree have the space the harvest deserves.

Flower, Fruit & Foliage

Flower

The flowers are creamy to pale yellow, borne on erect cylindrical catkins, with male flowers crowding the upper portions and female flowers clustered near the base. They appear in early summer, usually June into July, and make a real show of it. Fair warning: the odor given off for a short period can be considered offensive to some people, though most find it a small price for what follows. It is worth noting that planting more than one tree will facilitate cross-pollination and produce a more abundant nut crop, as a single specimen won't bear fruit reliably unless another Chinese Chestnut is nearby.

Fruit

After pollination, edible nuts develop within spiky burrs that are roughly 2 to 3 inches wide, each typically containing 2 to 3 nuts approximately 1 to 1.5 inches wide. The nuts themselves are crisp, meaty, and sweet, though not quite as sweet as American chestnuts, and are good eaten raw, roasted, or baked. Trees grown from seed generally begin bearing in 4 to 5 years, with nuts ripening from mid-September through October. The husks split open at maturity and drop on their own, which is one of the more satisfying things a tree can do.

Foliage

Leaves emerge reddish in spring, deepen to a lustrous dark green through summer, and turn shades of yellow to bronze in fall. They are elliptic-oblong to lance-shaped, with coarsely serrated margins where each tooth tapers to a stiff bristle tip, lustrous dark green above and softly pubescent beneath, particularly along the veins. Individual leaves run 3 to 8 inches long, giving the canopy a bold, slightly coarse texture that reads well from a distance. The overall effect through summer is dense and generous, the kind of canopy that actually makes shade.

Care

Read our full care guide

Light. Full sun to part shade; full sun gives the best growth and nut set.

Soil. Moist, well-drained, neutral to mildly acidic soil; grows in clay, sand, or loam and tolerates poor ground.

Water. Regular while establishing; handles occasional drought, heat, and humidity without much complaint once settled.

Pollination. Plant two or more Chinese chestnuts nearby; a single tree rarely sets a reliable crop. Seed-grown trees begin bearing in four to five years.

Hardiness. Reliable through USDA Zones 4 to 8.

Here’s a closer look at how we produce our plants

From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.

Woodlanders Growing Process

Because most of our plants are grown from rooted cuttings — alongside seed, air layering, and grafting chosen for each variety — you receive a stronger, true-to-type plant that establishes quickly in your garden.

Sustainable Growing Practices

Raised on organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management — never harsh chemicals — your plant arrives healthy for your garden, your family, and the pollinators they feed.

Supporting Local Biodiversity

Every purchase gives back. We donate to the Aiken Arboretum and support local wildlife conservation, so growing your garden helps protect the wider ecosystem too.

At Woodlanders, we are committed to quality.
Grown in Aiken, South Carolina
At Woodlanders, we are committed to quality.

All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.

Learn more about Woodlanders
Healthy plants, ready to thrive
Success, made simple
Healthy plants, ready to thrive

Your plant arrives carefully packed and ready to settle in. Unpack them promptly, give them a day or two to acclimate, then plant following the notes we include — that’s all it takes. Clear care guidance comes with every order, so success is the easy part.

Read the care guide
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Frequently Asked Questions
What to expect upon delivery

All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.

Each plant is carefully packaged with its roots enclosed in a secure plastic bag containing moist soil, forming a compact root ball. To ensure safe transport, the box is padded with recycled newspaper, providing both stability and eco-friendly protection from weather during shipping.
What is your return policy?

Review our full return policy information on our SHIPPING AND RETURNS POLICY page.
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Can I make changes to my order after it’s been placed?

At Woodlanders, we strive to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. Therefore, we can only accommodate changes to your order within the first 24 hours after it has been placed. These changes include adding or removing products and modifying the delivery address. If you need to make any changes or if there has been a mistake with your order information, please reach out to us promptly via our CONTACT page with your order number for the quickest resolution.

Your satisfaction is our priority, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.