nursery

CHESTNUTS
Chestnuts are majestic trees
that live hundreds of years
and can produce hundreds
of pounds of nuts each year.
Trees with European and
American parentage may
not be resistant to chestnut
blight and should not be
planted east of the Rocky
Mountains. Only the Chinese
Chestnuts are reliably
resistant east of the Rockies.
Seedlings will be variable in nut production. Our new grafted
selections are incredibly productive and among the world’s
best varieties. USDA Zones 5-9 unless noted. Prohibited to AZ.
Grafted Chestnuts
We offer a wonderful collection of the most productive grafted
chestnut trees. Most are crosses of European and Japanese
cultivars.
BASALTA #3 NEW! A consistent producer of large, particularly
flavorful chestnuts. All Chestnuts need good drainage, however
Bisalta #3 is more tolerant of late wet
springs than others. It is well suited for
the Pacific Northwest and even when
a cold growing season occurs this tree
still produces nuts. Nuts fall free of the
burr in mid season and are easy to peel.
The tree has a spreading growth form.
Originally from Italy, it is one of the best
storing chestnuts. It’s a good pollinator and is cold hardy to
-15°F It is a somewhat chestnut blight susceptible European X
Japanese cultivar and therefore best suited to be grown west
of the Rockies where blight isn’t usually a problem. 18-36” size.
K301: $32.50 each
BOUCHE DE BEDIZAC NEW! A consistant producer of large
flavorful easy to peel nuts that store well. It has an upright
growth form. It does well in the Northwest and California and
is also grown in Michigan. It is somewhat Chestnut blight
susceptible so it is not be suited for long term growing east of
the Rockies. From France. It does not pollinize other varieties
and needs to have another variety or seedling as a pollinizer. It
is a fast and upright grower. It is cold hardy to -15°F. 18-36” size.
K303: $32.50 each
Coniferous Nut Trees
MONKEY PUZZLE (Araucaria
araucana) The branching pattern
of this Chilean evergreen seedling
tree is unique. The branches are
symetrical and horizontal, each
turning up at its end. The Monkey
Puzzle also produces 8” diameter
oblong cones with up to 300 nuts
per cone. The nuts are small and
triangular shaped. They can be eaten
raw or roasted and have a rich sweet
flavor. Trees grow slowly to 25-45’ tall. We offer unsexed
seedlings and only the females produce nuts while the
males are pollinizers. The small one gallon size trees we
offer have been growing for several years. Zones 6-9.
K440: $26.50 each PROHIBITED TO AZ.
MARAVAL NEW! Maraval is a great pollinator, producing
massive amounts of pollen. This French cultivar is moderately
productive and an upright grower with large nuts that fall free
from the burr in mid to late season, The nuts store well. It is
a European x Japanese hybrid and is resistant to root rot and
chestnut blight and it can therefore be planted in the east and
the west. Cold Hardy: -15°F. 18-36” size.K305: $36.50 each
PROCOCE MIGOULE NEW!
A consistant producer of high
quality very good tasting
large chestnuts even in a cool
growing season. First in the
harvest searson to drop nuts
free of the burr. The nuts are
easy to peel. The tree has an
upright growth form. Originally
from France, it is. one of the
best storing chestnuts. It is an excellent pollinator, blooming
early to mid season and cold hardy to -20°F. It’s chestnut blight
susceptibility is unknown so it is recommended to be grown
west of the Rockies. A proven winner in the Pacific Northwest.
Precoce Migoule is also grown in Michigan. It sheds copious,
early pollen that is synchronized with ‘Colossal and its nuts
mature at least two weeks earlier than ‘Colossal’ making it a
candidate for northern areas where early frosts damage nuts
before they can be harvested. 12-18” size. K307: $28.50 each
COLOSSAL Colossal has very large, easy to peel, sweet
nuts and is very productive at a young age. It’s the leading
commercial variety in areas that don’t get chestnut blight and
have warm spring and hot summer weather. It is not the best
choice in the Pacific Northwest and areas with wet springs and
cooler weather. It is pollen sterile so it won’t pollinize other
cultivars. The tree has a spreading habit. It is cold hardy to
-20°F. 18-36” size. K300: $32.50 each
NEVADA A good producer of tasty nuts and pollenizer for the
Colossal Chestnut. Needs acidic soil and at least 400-500 chill
hours. Not resistant to chestnut blight so it is only suitable for
the western U.S. 3-4’ size. K313: $32.50 each
Seedling Chestnuts
AMERICAN CHESTNUT SEEDLINGS (Castanea dentata)
While most chestnut trees found in the Northwest are of
European origin, there are some American chestnuts and
these represent the largest specimens left of this species in the
nation. The American chestnut was virtually obliterated back
East in its native range by the chestnut blight. These seedlings
were grown from pure stands in Washington known to be
blight free. The nuts are small, early ripening, light brown and
very sweet. They have a fine flavor and peel quite easily. These
make majestic timber trees, the largest of all chestnuts. They
are not blight resistant. USDA Zones 3-8. K350 (Well-rooted
2-3’ size): $15 each; 3+: $12.50 each; K353 (3-5’ size): $20
each; 3+: 15 each
CHINESE CHESTNUT SEEDLINGS (C. mollissima) We have
selected seedlings from highly productive trees. They are
resistant to Chestnut blight and can be planted in the east in
areas with blight. Spreading trees grow to 35’ tall and produce
sweet nuts. K342 (1-1/2’ to 3’ trees): $6.50 each, 5+: $5 each;
K343 (large 4-6’ tree): $22.50 each
Chestnut Cookbook
CHESTNUT COOKBOOK by Annie Bhagwandin, 128 pages.
The author has been growing, harvesting and preparing
chestnuts for 25 years. The book includes recipes from around
the world and interesting folklore. The book has been revised
and reprinted. S027: $12.95 each
80 Order online at www.RaintreeNursery.com or call 1-800-391-8892.