Chestnut Tree Seeds - Chinquapin (Dwarf)
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(Castanea pumila) Perennial. Zones 5-8.
Chinquapin, also known as American Dwarf Chestnut is an amazing and widely undervalued shrub. It is more like a small tree - reaching 10-15 feet at maturity.
Chinquapin nuts are extremely tasty and sweet! They ripen in Autumn and are encased in a spiny burr. Chinquapin nuts are about the size of a pea, but so worth the work of peeling! Roasting or baking deepens their creamy, nutty flavour and gives them a floury texture. They make a delicious and nutritious potato or hot cereal substitute. For those of you with a sweet tooth; roasted chestnut ice cream is something that will change your life!
The Chinquapin is important food and medicine for Indigenous People, who ate almost every part of the plant. The leaves contain tannin and can be steeped to make an external wash to treat fever.
Chinquapin can grow in even nutritionally poor soil and enriches the soil when planted as an understory in pine forests. It is extremely winter-hardy but thrives in areas with hot, dry summers. Once established, it is drought resistant. The wood is light, hard, and very strong - excellent for fence posts and as fuel.
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Cold Hardiness: Zones 5-8
Edible: Yes
Size: Large Shrub
Growth Rate: Medium
Nitrogen Fixer: No
Native Plant: Yes
Germination: 70-90%
Sun Requirements: Full Sun for maximum fruit.
Soil Preference: Moist, well draining.
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GROWING INSTRUCTIONS
**Refrigerate seeds immediately upon arrival!**
SEED PRETREATMENT: Soak seeds in water for 12 hours. Mix seeds with a moistened grow medium equal to 3-4 times seed volume. Place in a plastic bag, covered tray/cells or container.
STRATIFICATION: 90 days cold/moist (5°C). Place plastic bag with seeds and soil in your refrigerator, preferably in a veggie crisper. Inspect periodically for even moisture/germination.
POST-STRATIFICATION: Sow stratified seeds 1” deep, ideally in a peat/perlite mix. Water evenly and regularly.
GERMINATION: When all previously mentioned requirements are fulfilled, germination generally occurs in 30-45 days.
*How To Start Your Tree Seeds*
*Excited about growing Fruit Trees from seed? Learn more HERE.*
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Available direct from Incredible Seeds, a Canadian Heirloom and Heritage Seed Company, offering only the best natural, non-GMO, open pollinated and untreated seeds, located in Mi'kma'ki / Nova Scotia.