An im pressive tree, and for that reason often
seen in parks. A sweet chestnut can become more
then a 2000 years old. They are imported from
the South of Europe by the Romans.
This large tree is more productive in the
southern parts of Europe, and there are
many cultivars of this tree.
A sweet chestnut grows the fastest
on sandy chalcky grounds.
A fully-grown chestnut is an impressive appereance,
up to 40 meters high. When the chestnut grows solitary,
it will form large branches. But between other trees
it will grow straight up and become higher and older
then the other trees.
chestnuts as a food
The nuts are healthy and delicious. The nuts are only
ripe when fallen from the trees, there is no use in
picking them when they hang on the tree.
But the nuts don't have a long shell life,
don't keep them longer then two weeks at most.
Make a cross slit at the tufted end of the nut.
The skin can easely be removed by putting the
nuts in boiling water for some seconds (blanching),
Roasted nuts have a sweet flavour and are very
delicious. frozen chestnusts can be preserved for
a longer period.
the wood of sweet chestnut
The lumber wood of the chestwood is excellent, and Z
is even better then oakwood. A chestnut tree provides
much good wood, and is more productive as an oak tree.
the nuts in the shop
Most nuts are imported from spain, but the best .
are called "Marons" and are grown in the south "
of France and North of Italy.
chestnut cultivation
If it is the intention to use the wood then
it is the best way to germinate the nuts.
But if the nuts are the most important
then grafting should be used.
Sweet chestnut as a streettree
Sweet chestnuts are good streettrees , they grow fast
are strong, childern collect the nuts and the tree is
sensitiv for salt pollution. But municipalities are
reluctant to use sweet chestnuts as the falling
nuts can damage cars.
sweet chestnut in France
The chestnut cultivation is concentrated in a the
low mountains that are "Le massif des Maures".
In october there are great festivities in Collobrieres
to celebrate the harvest. Here one can taste the
marrone glacee.
roasted chestnuts
Roasted chestnuts are sold in the Usa, the south
of Europe and in Turkey.
In Turkey coal is used to roast the nuts, in Vienna
oak wood. Roasted chestnut are very popular in New York.
chestnuts and sprouts
In the Netherlands chestnuts are often eaten together
with sprouts.
