A tree on the slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily had a branch spread over 200 feet wide and was in excess of 2500 years old. Grafted trees will generally commence bearing in 2 to 3 years, seedlings in 5 to 7 years. Chestnuts will grow in most soils, but they don t like wet feet. Chestnut trees will tolerate acid soils, and are fairly drought resistant once established. While not as demanding as most nut trees, they benefit from a fertilization in the spring.
Borers can be a problem for grafted trees.
The Northwest has escaped chestnut blight due to isolation. Also, our typical weather patterns are not as conducive to the spread of fungal spores as is the East Coast. A beautiful spreading tree for the landscape. Chinese chestnuts compare in size to a very large apple tree, whereas European and American chestnuts eventually get quite massive. Chestnuts have glossy, dark green serrated leaves and long, creamy yellow catkins that appear early in the summer.