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| ## chinkapin {#chinkapin .Title-Header}                               |
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| *Castanea pumila* (L.) P. Mill.                                       |
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| Plant Symbol = CAPU9                                                  |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

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height="1.4784722222222222in"}

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##### Alternate Names  {#alternate-names .Header-3}

Allegheny chinkapin, American chinquapin, *Castanea alnifolia, Castanea
ashei, Castanea floridana, Castanea margaretta, Castanea nana, Castanea
paucispina*, chinquapin, dwarf chestnut, *Fagus pumila*, golden
chinquapin.

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Economic:* Chinkapin nuts and wood are sold commercially. The wood is
light, hard, close-grained, and strong. It is used for fence posts and
fuel although it is not timbered because of its small stature and
scattered occurrence.

*Ethnobotanic:* The Cherokee Indians used dried leaves as washes to
alleviate headaches, fevers, chills, cold sweats, and fever blisters.
The Koasati Indians used the roots of chinkapin as a decoction for
stomachaches.

*Food source:* Chinkapin nuts are palatable to humans as well as
wildlife. They have a sweet flavor and are often preferred over the
fruit of the American chestnut.

*Landscaping:* Chinkapin is sometimes used for landscaping as a small
ornamental tree or shrub. Its flowers are attractive but have an
unpleasant odor.

*Restoration:* Chinkapin can be used to rehabilitate disturbed sites
because of its ability to adapt to harsh conditions. The threat of
chestnut blight often deters this decision by land managers.

*Wildlife:* Squirrels, chipmunks, opossums, white-tailed deer, blue
jays, woodpeckers and other birds consume chinkapin nuts. White-tailed
deer browse the foliage.

##### Legal Status {#legal-status .Header-3}

Chinkapin is rare in its range. It is threatened in Kentucky, endangered
in New Jersey, and has been extirpated from most of Alabama by chestnut
blight. Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of
Natural Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or
endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*General*: Beech Family (Fagaceae). Chinkapin is a monoecious small tree
or large shrub that grows to be 2 to 5 m tall. The twigs are densely
hairy (tomentose) when young, becoming shiny brown with densely
reddish-hairy buds. The leaves are alternate, simple, short-stemmed,
prominently veined, oblong with fine pointed teeth or bristles, up to 15
cm long, and tomentose on the lower surface. Male flowers are borne in
the leaf axils, elongated, yellow to white, clustered, and have a strong
odor. Female flowers are rounder with a diameter up to 3 cm. The fruit
is a spiny bur that houses a single nut. Male flowers appear in May and
June, female flowers later in the season. Fruits mature in autumn and
winter.

*Distribution*: Chinkapin is native to the eastern and southern United
States. Its native range is from New Jersey and West Virginia, west to
Missouri and Oklahoma, and south to Texas and Florida. It has been
planted in Wisconsin and Michigan where it has become a forest tree. For
current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Web site (http://plants.usda.gov).

*Habitat*: Chinkapin occurs in mixed hardwood forests among longleaf
pine and scrub oak trees on high ridges and slopes that are free from
limestone. It grows on black sandy dunes in the Carolinas, but not on
frontal dunes. It is also found on well-drained stream terraces, dry
pinelands, and disturbed sites such as railroad rights-of-way, power
line clearings, fence and hedgerows, pine plantations, and old fields.

##### Adaptation {#adaptation .Header-3}

The USDA hardiness zones for chinkapin are 6 to 10. Chinkapin occurs in
xeric and mesic sites on dry, rocky, sandy, or loamy soils. It ranges in
elevation from sea level to about 1,350 m (4,455 feet). It occurs in
open areas and is tolerant of high heat. It is not tolerant of coastal
salt spray or shade.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Chinkapin plants form extensive clones where it has been burned
annually. It resprouts vigorously following top-kill by fire. It will
also regenerate upon overstory removal in stands where it had once been
out-competed by canopy trees.

Chinkapin is not resistant to herbicides such as 2,4,5-T, bromacil,
dicamba, picloram, and silvex. It may resprout following herbicide
treatments.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Chinkapin is moderately resistant to chestnut blight, but fewer trees
are reported each year due to the inhibitory effects of the fungus.

##### Seeds and Plant Production {#seeds-and-plant-production .Header-3}

##### Chinkapin plants and seeds are not commonly produced commercially. It reproduces readily from seed. Collect seeds immediately after the spiny husks have split open to expose the nut. Seeds that are planted in the fall show good germination (\>90%) while seeds stored over winter dry out and germinate at reduced rates (\<50%). Seedlings will produce nuts in the third growing season, with large nut crops occurring during the fifth and sixth season. Chinkapin also sprouts from rhizomes, forming dense colonies. {#chinkapin-plants-and-seeds-are-not-commonly-produced-commercially.-it-reproduces-readily-from-seed.-collect-seeds-immediately-after-the-spiny-husks-have-split-open-to-expose-the-nut.-seeds-that-are-planted-in-the-fall-show-good-germination-90-while-seeds-stored-over-winter-dry-out-and-germinate-at-reduced-rates-50.-seedlings-will-produce-nuts-in-the-third-growing-season-with-large-nut-crops-occurring-during-the-fifth-and-sixth-season.-chinkapin-also-sprouts-from-rhizomes-forming-dense-colonies. .Header-3}

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

The NRCS Plant Materials Program has not released chinkapin cultivars
for conservation use. The 'golden' cultivar is produced for its wildlife
value and adaptability to harsh sites. Chinkapin cultivars may be of
value for breeding blight-resistant trees with flavorful nuts.

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

##### References {#references .Header-3}

##### Agricultural Research Center. 2004. *GRIN taxonomy* (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index, 9 May 2004). USDA, Beltsville. {#agricultural-research-center.-2004.-grin-taxonomy-httpwww.ars-grin.govcgi-binnpgshtmlindex-9-may-2004.-usda-beltsville. .Header-3}

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##### American Chestnut Growers Foundation. 2004. *Genus Castanea* (http://www.ppws.vt.edu/griffin/accfcast.html, 9 May 2004). Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg. {#american-chestnut-growers-foundation.-2004.-genus-castanea-httpwww.ppws.vt.edugriffinaccfcast.html-9-may-2004.-department-of-plant-pathology-physiology-and-weed-science-virginia-tech-blacksburg. .Header-3}

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##### Anagnostakis, S.L. 2004. *Identification of American chestnut trees* (http://www.caes.state.ct.us/FactSheetFiles/PlantPathology/fspp034f.htm, 9 May 2004). The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven. {#anagnostakis-s.l.-2004.-identification-of-american-chestnut-trees-httpwww.caes.state.ct.usfactsheetfilesplantpathologyfspp034f.htm-9-may-2004.-the-connecticut-agricultural-experiment-station-new-haven. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Finical, L. 2004. *Texas native trees* (http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/natives/about.html 9 May 2004). Dallas Arboretum, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Dallas. {#finical-l.-2004.-texas-native-trees-httpaggie-horticulture.tamu.eduornamentalsnativesabout.html-9-may-2004.-dallas-arboretum-texas-agricultural-experiment-station-dallas. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-7 .Header-3}

##### Hamel, Paul B. and M.U. Chiltoskey. 1975. *Cherokee plants and their uses---a 400 year history.* Herald Publishing, Sylva. {#hamel-paul-b.-and-m.u.-chiltoskey.-1975.-cherokee-plants-and-their-usesa-400-year-history.-herald-publishing-sylva. .Header-3}

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##### Johnson, F.L. and B.W. Hoagland. *Catalog of the woody plants of Oklahoma* (http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/shrub/cover.htm, 9 May 2004). Oklahoma University, Norman. {#johnson-f.l.-and-b.w.-hoagland.-catalog-of-the-woody-plants-of-oklahoma-httpwww.biosurvey.ou.edushrubcover.htm-9-may-2004.-oklahoma-university-norman. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-9 .Header-3}

##### Nelson, G. 1996. *Shrubs and woody vines of Florida.* Pineapple Press Co., Sarasota. {#nelson-g.-1996.-shrubs-and-woody-vines-of-florida.-pineapple-press-co.-sarasota. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-10 .Header-3}

##### Russell, A.B. 1997. *Trees of the Maritime forest* (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/maritime/Castapu.htm, 9 May 2004). Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh.  {#russell-a.b.-1997.-trees-of-the-maritime-forest-httpwww.ces.ncsu.edudeptshortconsumerfactsheetsmaritimecastapu.htm-9-may-2004.-department-of-horticultural-science-north-carolina-state-university-raleigh. .Header-3}

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##### Sullivan, J. 1994. *Castanea pumila.* (http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/, 9 May 2004). Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Missoula. {#sullivan-j.-1994.-castanea-pumila.-httpwww.fs.fed.usdatabasefeis-9-may-2004.-fire-sciences-laboratory-rocky-mountain-research-station-usda-forest-service-missoula. .Header-3}

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##### Taylor, L.A. 1940. *Plants used as curatives by certain southeastern tribes.* Botanical Museum of Harvard University, Cambridge. {#taylor-l.a.-1940.-plants-used-as-curatives-by-certain-southeastern-tribes.-botanical-museum-of-harvard-university-cambridge. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-13 .Header-3}

##### Wunderlin, R.P., and B.F. Hansen. 2003. *Atlas of Florida vascular plants* (http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu, 9 May 2004). Institute of Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa. {#wunderlin-r.p.-and-b.f.-hansen.-2003.-atlas-of-florida-vascular-plants-httpwww.plantatlas.usf.edu-9-may-2004.-institute-of-systematic-botany-university-of-south-florida-tampa. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-14 .Header-3}

##### Prepared By:  {#prepared-by .Header-3}

##### *Sarah Wennerberg* {#sarah-wennerberg .Header-3}

Formerly USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

##### Species Coordinator:  {#species-coordinator .Header-3}

*Mark Skinner*

USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

##### Edited: 11May2004 sbw; 21Oct2004 rln; 01jun06 jsp {#edited-11may2004-sbw-21oct2004-rln-01jun06-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
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*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
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*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
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