We source our seed nuts each fall from the top-performing trees at the best chestnut orchards in the Midwest. This ensures that the trees you buy from us have the highest chance of producing high yields of top-quality nuts.
WE *DO* SHIP BARE ROOT PLANTS - Bare root plants are shipped from March to May or picked up in Champaign, IL (select shipping vs. pickup at checkout).
Bare root plants must be ordered in multiples of 25. Bare root chestnuts are 12-24″. Bare root plants are cheaper than potted plants, but for some growers, potted plants are easier to establish if you are new to planting trees.
Suited for USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: See tab “Chestnut Family Descriptions” above for family-specific data
Prices vary by seed source.
Will it thrive?
Stop! Before you buy these trees....are you sure they will thrive in your soil and climate? To be sure, you should prepare a Compass Report for your farm at CanopyCompass.com. The chestnut suitability maps at Canopy Compass are generic to all chestnuts. To learn more about the hardiness traits of specific chestnut genetics, please refer to the "Chestnut Family Descriptions" tab above.
Chestnut Family Descriptions
Farm Family Mixes
Farm Family Mixes are collections of seedlings from multiple top-performing mother trees from specific farms.
Badgersett Boundless
Origin: Seedlings from top-performing trees at Badgersett Research Farm in Canton, MN.
Nut Qualities: These trees are selected for high nut production and resilience in colder climates.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 4b, these seedlings offer strong growth and consistent yields. Ideal for colder regions where cold hardiness is vital.
Special Notes: The Badgersett name is well-known for its research and commitment to producing cold-hardy chestnut varieties.
Empire Elite
Origin: Seedlings from top-performing trees at Empire Chestnut Company (Route 9) in Carrollton, OH.
Nut Qualities: Known for producing both flavorful and high-quality nuts, suitable for various uses.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, these seedlings are selected for reliable nut production and adaptability in cooler climates.
Special Notes: Empire Elite seedlings come from a well-respected source known for their superior chestnut genetics.
Iowa Invincible
Origin: Seedlings from top-performing trees at Red Fern Farm in Wapello, IA.
Nut Qualities: High-quality nuts that will have some variability in size and flavor characteristics because of their genetic diversity.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, these seedlings are selected for reliable nut production and genetic diversity
Special Notes: These trees are suitable pollenizers for most hybrids.
Ohio Outstanding
Origin: Seedlings from top-performing trees from the Wintergreen Chestnut Company in Mantua, OH.
Nut Qualities: Optimized through selective breeding to produce culinary nuts with the highest possible flavor and nutrition.
Tree Characteristics: Highly blight resistant. Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Wintergreen’s genetic diversity includes genes from American, Chinese, European, and Japanese chestnuts.
PQ F1 Mix
Origin: A block of seedlings from full-sibling crosses between ‘Peach’ and ‘Qing.’
Nut Qualities: Produces large, high-quality nuts, with some seedlings outperforming their parents.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, with less genetic diversity than other mixes.
Special Notes: PQ F1 mix offers seedlings with complementary characteristics from two top-performing parent trees, ideal for those seeking consistent nut production.
Stehli Elite Mix
Origin: Seedlings from Bob Stehli’s orchard in Ohio, selected from highly productive mother trees.
Nut Qualities: High-quality Chinese or Chinese hybrid nuts.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, with a broad range of material selected over 30 years.
Special Notes: Stehli Elite Mix offers excellent genetic diversity and reliable nut production, with some genetic overlap with the Empire Elite Mix.
Chinese Chestnut Half-sibs
Half-sibs are trees grown from seed that all comes from a known mother tree that was pollenated by any number of and unknown pollen parents. The cultivar names listed below refer to the mother tree.
Allegheny Chinkapin
Origin: Grown from selected populations of Allegheny chinkapins (Castanea pumila), native to the southeastern USA.
Nut Qualities: Tiny nuts (400-500 per lb.), ideal for wildlife or landscape use.
Tree Characteristics: A shrub or small tree, reaching a mature height of about 25 feet. Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Some newer chinkapins are hybrids with Ozark chinkapins, and they are well-suited for wildlife plantings or ornamental use.
Amy
Origin: Seedlings from the Amy tree, selected by Greg Miller from C. mollissima seedlings in Ohio.
Nut Qualities: Produces high-quality, large to extra-large nuts that are easy to peel and have great flavor.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b and a reliable, heavy producer.
Special Notes: Amy seedlings are fast-growing, productive trees that perform well as a companion to other chestnut varieties like Qing.
Auburn Super (AU-Super)
Origin: Seedlings from the Auburn Super tree, released by Auburn University.
Nut Qualities: Known for producing among the largest nuts among commercial Chinese chestnut cultivars. Nut quality is good, although trees may occasionally overbear, leading to smaller nuts.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5a, these trees are strong and vigorous growers, producing extra-large nuts.
Special Notes: Auburn Super is an excellent choice for growers seeking maximum nut size and commercial viability.
Auburn Homestead (AU-Homestead)
Origin: Seedlings from the AU Homestead tree, released by Auburn University.
Nut Qualities: Exceptionally fine-flavored nuts, with a unique texture preferred in China.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, with a long ripening period suitable for home use.
Special Notes: AU Homestead is noted for its glutinous quality and, due to its late ripening, is better suited for longer growing seasons.
Gideon
Origin: Seedlings from the Gideon tree, selected by Greg Miller from C. mollissima seedlings in Ohio.
Nut Qualities: Produces large to extra-large, easy-to-peel nuts that are high in quality and flavor.
Tree Characteristics: Fast-growing and cold hardy to at least Zone 5b. Known for being a regular, heavy bearer of chestnuts.
Special Notes: Gideon is an excellent parent tree and pairs well with Qing for pollination. It is particularly fast-growing in Iowa.
Hong Kong
Origin: A top performer selected by Mike Nave from cultivar trials at the University of Missouri.
Nut Qualities: High-quality nuts with excellent flavor.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, with strong growth and resilience.
Special Notes: Hong Kong is one of the best-performing cultivars in trial settings and is highly recommended for commercial planting.
Jenny
Origin: Seedlings from the Jenny tree, an open-pollinated seedling of the Ohio cultivar Kintzel.
Nut Qualities: Produces large, flavorful nuts that drop early in the season.
Tree Characteristics: Jenny is a tall, vigorous tree with an erect growth pattern and large leaves. Cold hardy to Zone 5b and likely blight resistant.
Special Notes: Jenny seedlings are expected to share Kintzel’s cold hardiness and blight resistance, making them an excellent choice for colder climates.
Liu
Origin: Seedlings from the Liu tree, originally from the Nanjing Botanical Garden cultivar collection.
Nut Qualities: Reddish leaves and burs with low blossom end rot and nuts that store very well.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Liu is distinguished by its unique foliage and excellent storage qualities, making it an outstanding variety for growers seeking durable nut trees.
Mossbarger
Origin: Seedlings from the Mossbarger tree, a selection from Kentucky.
Nut Qualities: Produces 30-34 nuts per pound, known for very good flavor when eaten raw or cooked. Some nuts may develop splits, a trait seen more often in hybrids.
Tree Characteristics: The tree is reputed to be pure Castanea mollissima but shows hybrid traits, with unusually thick stems, branches, and trunk. Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Mossbarger seedlings are an excellent choice for growers seeking trees with a robust growth pattern and flavorful nuts.
Nanking
Origin: An older USDA selection favored in the 1950s for its productivity.
Nut Qualities: Adequate nut quality, though somewhat late season. Highly productive.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, with reliable yields.
Special Notes: Nanking is a great option for growers seeking a tried-and-true cultivar with consistent production.
Peach
Origin: Seedlings from the Peach tree, selected by Greg Miller from C. mollissima seedlings in Ohio.
Nut Qualities: Produces extra-large, easy-to-peel nuts that are slightly fuzzy, like a peach. The tree is known for consistent, reliable nut production without overbearing.
Tree Characteristics: Peach trees are resilient and consistent producers, with cold hardiness to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Peach is a highly regarded variety for its consistently large nuts and reliable yield.
Qing
Origin: Seedlings from the renowned Qing tree, named by Mike Nave. The original tree is of unknown origin and is growing in Hickory, Kentucky.
Nut Qualities: Extra-large nuts (~20-25g/nut) with an exceptionally sweet flavor. Shiny, dark brown, and stored well even among Chinese varieties.
Tree Characteristics: A heavy producer, this tree focuses more on nut production than vegetative growth, contributing to its smaller size. Cold hardy to at least Zone 5a.
Special Notes: Qing nuts are sweeter than many small Chinese chestnuts and fall in early to mid-season. The tree was planted in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
Resilient
Origin: Seedlings from a top-performing tree at Red Fern Farm, Iowa.
Nut Qualities: Produces medium to extra-large nuts that are reliable in both size and quality.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, and known for withstanding difficult growing conditions. Exceptionally resilient after harsh winters.
Special Notes: Resilient is one of the few trees at Red Fern Farm to bear a normal crop in 2019 after an exceptionally cold and wet winter and spring.
Royalmark
Origin: Selected by Richard Winkel from a bulk seed purchase in Michigan around 1990.
Nut Qualities: Easy-to-peel nuts with very good flavor that store well.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b, with an orchard-type growth habit.
Special Notes: Royalmark is an excellent orchard tree that consistently produces tasty, well-storing nuts.
Shotgun
Origin: A selection by Tom and Kathy Wahl at Red Fern Farm in Iowa.
Nut Qualities: Large nuts, but is prone to occasional overbearing.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Shotgun seedlings are reliable producers with strong performance in colder climates.
Hybrid Chestnut Half-Sibs
Half-sibs are trees grown from seed that all comes from a known mother tree that was pollenated by any number of and unknown pollen parents. The cultivar names listed below refer to the mother tree or, sometimes, a small group of related mother trees.
ACE
Origin: A male-sterile complex hybrid derived from American, Chinese, and European genetics.
Nut Qualities: High-quality, easy-peeling nuts with good flavor.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy, blight-resistant, and marroni-type growth with heavy crop loads. Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: ACE combines the best characteristics of European and Chinese chestnuts, making it an excellent option for growers looking for a resilient, high-quality chestnut tree.
BadgerQing
Origin: Seedlings from a cross of Badgersett Research Farm trees pollinated by Qing.
Nut Qualities: Sweet, easy peeling nut averaging 20-30 nuts per pound.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b. These seedlings are known for strong growth and reliable nut production.
Special Notes: BadgerQing trees are pollen sterile, requiring compatible pollenizers nearby for nut production.
Giant Badger
Origin: American x Chinese hybrid from Badgersett Research Farm grown by Red Fern Farm
Nut Qualities: Produces extra-large nuts up to .85oz each.
Tree Characteristics: Extra cold tolerance, hardy up to Zone 4b.
Special Notes: Giant Badger is generally pollen sterile, so a suitable pollenizer is required.
Hansen
Origin: A hybrid seedling from Norm Hansen in Iowa, likely including Japanese, Chinese, and American genetics.
Nut Qualities: Medium-sized nuts with predominantly Chinese characteristics, though flavor can be bland.
Tree Characteristics: Timber-type tree with an open, tiered branching structure. Consistently productive and resistant to gall wasps and blight.
Special Notes: Hansen is a resilient tree that performs well in various conditions and maintains healthy foliage despite insect pressure.
Japanese (Castanea crenata)
Origin: Seedlings from the cultivar collection at the Korean Institute of Forest Genetics.
Nut Qualities: High-quality Japanese-type chestnuts, though the kernel quality is often lower than Chinese chestnuts.
Tree Characteristics: Vigorous and productive, cold hardy to at least Zone 5b.
Special Notes: Japanese chestnuts are a reliable choice for growers seeking vigorous and blight-resistant trees.
Large Badger
Origin: Seedlings from top-performing trees at Red Fern Farm pollinated by seedlings from Badgersett Research Farm in Canton, MN
Nut Qualities: Sweet, medium to large nuts.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 4b.
Special Notes: These trees carry American (dentata) and Chinese (mollissima) genetics. Large Badger is pollen fertile.
Luvall's Monster
Origin: Seedlings from a complex male-sterile hybrid tree from Illinois with American, Chinese, and Japanese genetics.
Nut Qualities: Produces large nuts with good flavor, though they may have poor keeping quality and many doubles.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 4b. Male-sterile hybrid, requiring nearby pollenizers.
Special Notes: Luvall’s Monster is highly productive, though its offspring often exhibit improved nut quality and resemble Chinese-type nuts.
NH 4 Pair
Origin: Two sibling seedlings, grandchildren of Meader’s New Hampshire #4, a Japanese hybrid with American and Chinese genetics.
Nut Qualities: Smallish nuts with good Chinese-type quality, better than NH #4.
Tree Characteristics: Timber-type trees, cold hardy to Zone 5a, reliable producers even after spring freezes.
Special Notes: NH Pair seedlings are highly recommended for northern growers, offering excellent adaptation to short growing seasons.
QingSu
Origin: Seedlings from a cross between the Qing and Auburn Super trees.
Nut Qualities: Produces large to extra-large nuts, with a reputation for heavy production.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b. These trees are strong producers with consistent yields.
Special Notes: QingSu is known for its exceptional nut production and is highly recommended for growers seeking heavy yields.
Sleeping Giant
Origin: Seedlings from Sleeping Giant, a mollissima x (crenata x dentata) hybrid.
Nut Qualities: Consistently produces medium-large, handsome nuts, about 40 per pound.
Tree Characteristics: Upright timber form, cold hardy to at least Zone 4.
Special Notes: Sleeping Giant is a Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station selection known for its impressive nut production and resistance to blight.
Szego
Origin: Seedlings from Sleeping Giant, a mollissima x (crenata x dentata) hybrid.
Nut Qualities: Nuts are uniformly extra-large but easy to peel and relatively dense, much like Chinese nuts. They are sweet and flavorful, generally with more flavor than pure Chinese nuts.
Tree Characteristics: Szego is a very vigorous and erect tree. It grafts well on Chinese, Japanese, and European hybrids. Hardy to Zone 5b.
Special Notes: The tree is resistant to phytophthora root rot. It does have some resistance to blight, but the extent of it is not yet known. Szego is a heavy pollen producer.
Timber Hybrids
Origin: Seedlings from a block of trees selected for timber-type growth and blight resistance, containing American chestnut hybrids and others.
Nut Qualities: Seeds are produced for wildlife, though nut size and quality vary.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy to at least Zone 5b. Tall, straight-growing trees were selected for timber potential and blight resistance.
Special Notes: Timber hybrids are best suited for experimental and genetic development purposes to produce blight-resistant, forest-competitive trees.
Very American
Origin: Seedlings from a vigorous, upright mother tree from Badgersett Research Farm, Canton, MN.
Nut Qualities: Produces very small nuts, nearly indistinguishable from pure American chestnuts.
Tree Characteristics: Cold hardy and highly vigorous, with an upright growth form. Suitable for those looking for trees with American chestnut characteristics.
Special Notes: Very American seedlings are ideal for those seeking trees with growth habits similar to pure American chestnuts.
Growing Information
Instructions for Bare-root Chestnuts
When Your Chestnut Trees Arrive
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Plant bare-root trees before they break dormancy (buds begin to swell or open).
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Your trees will arrive wrapped in a plastic liner with the roots kept damp with moist sawdust.
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Keeping trees cool before planting is essential. 40-50 degrees is a good target.
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If you cannot plant them within a week or keep them cool, temporarily plant the bundle of trees in a bucket and cover it with a medium such as peat moss.
Site Preparation
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Chestnuts require slightly acidic soil but tolerate dryer, sandier soil than many other trees.
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If planting into existing sod, make sure you kill any tall fescue, orchard grass, brome, or alfalfa within a few feet of the planting area.
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A 3% or higher concentration of Roundup will work if applied in the morning of a warm sunny day (70F or higher if possible).
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Re-seed the area with a turf-type mix of perennial ryegrass and fine-leaved fescue such as creeping red fescue, hard fescue, Chewings fescue, and medium Dutch white clover.
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For broadcast seedings, seed each grass at 10# per acre and clover at 1-2# per acre.
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Space chestnuts at 20’ X 20’ - that is, 20’ apart within rows and rows at 20’ apart. This will amount to just over 100 trees per acre.
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Lay out and flag the field beforehand, using different colored flags for alternate rows. A square grid will be easier to mow in future years.
Planting
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Keep trees in the shade always, and keep the roots covered and moist.
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Take just a few trees at a time out of the bag and put them in a five-gallon bucket with enough water to cover the roots. Note: This is only at the planting time; do not leave the roots soaking/fully submerged for an extended period.
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Dig a hole that accommodates the root system without crowding, folding, or bending roots around the sides of the hole.
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Prune off stringy, dangling roots that hang too far below the root mass. Hold the tree with one hand and backfill with the other as you plant. Hold the tree with the root crown exactly even with the soil line. The root crown/crown is the point at which the rusty bark color on the roots changes to the olive green color on the trunk.
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You must not succumb to the temptation to plant the tree “just a little bit deeper.” Planting any part of the trunk below the soil line will kill the tree.
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Firm the soil around the tree first with your hand, then your toes—not your heel.
After Planting
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If you have deer or rabbits in the area, apply a 5’ tall vented tree shelter and stakes (available at Canopy Nursery).
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A tree shelter is a very good idea, even if you don’t have any varmints to worry about, as it will help the tree become established and bear nuts sooner than it would without a shelter.
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Tree shelters will also save a great deal of pruning labor. Put tree shelters on the trees as soon as possible after planting.
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Water the trees the first year, any time you go more than a week or two without at least an inch of rain.
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Weed control is very important. Only a trained professional should apply chemicals. Your local NRCS office should have an up-to-date list of licensed applicators.
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Using weed mats or landscape fabric cut into 3x3 foot squares is an excellent alternative to chemicals.
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Use 6” turf staples to secure the corners and edges of the weed barrier.
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Keep the grass between the trees short, especially while shelters are on the trees. Tall grass/weeds use a lot of moisture and provide a habitat for mice. Mice nesting inside tree shelters almost always girdle the trees, which will kill them.
We recognize these factors may be overwhelming, but we are here to offer support and assistance on your tree-planting journey! Please schedule a call if any of these instructions need clarification or if you have any questions or concerns.
