Once half of our country was full of towering chestnut trees. The nuts fed wildlife and people. The lumber was strong and plentiful. Around 100 years ago billions of trees died due to the Chestnut blight. Today there are a few mature trees scattered around the country. Thanks to the foraging work of Evan Clendenin, one such tree was found in Washington State. Nuts from that tree have produced our seedlings. We don’t know the exact parentage of the tree or if it is disease resistant, but all markers point toward American DNA. Evan even sent tissue samples to the American Chestnut Foundation who confirmed Castenea dentata, American Chestnut. Trees are three years old and sold bare root or with soil in a paper pot.
Once half of our country was full of towering chestnut trees. The nuts fed wildlife and people. The lumber was strong and plentiful. Around 100 years ago billions of trees died due to the Chestnut blight. Today there are a few mature trees scattered around the country. Thanks to the foraging work of Evan Clendenin, one such tree was found in Washington State. Nuts from that tree have produced our seedlings. We don’t know the exact parentage of the tree or if it is disease resistant, but all markers point toward American DNA. Evan even sent tissue samples to the American Chestnut Foundation who confirmed Castenea dentata, American Chestnut. Trees are three years old and sold bare root or with soil in a paper pot.
