Castanea seguinii

Castanea seguinii, called Seguin chestnut, Seguin's chestnut, or Chinese chinquapin (a name it shares with Castanea henryi), and in Chinese: 茅栗, mao li, is a species of chestnut native to south‑central and southeast China.

Description

It is a shrub or small tree. It grows to 12 m tall. The leafy structure near the leaves in narrow and 0.7-1.5 cm long. It falls off. The leaf stalk is 0.5-1.5 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 6-14 cm long. There are yellow-brown scales underneath the leaf. The young leaves are also slightly hairy near the veins. The base is rounded, but wedge shaped when young. There are coarse teeth along the edge. The male flower is 5-12 cm long. The female flowers can occur singly or a few in a group. The cup is 3-5 cm across. It is covered with spine like bracts. There are 2-3 nuts per cup and they are 1.5-2 cm across.

Edible Uses

The seeds are small but have a good flavour, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Eaten raw, there is a distinct astringency, particularly if the fleshy inner skin beneath the outer shell is not removed. Cooking — especially baking — produces a sweeter, floury result that makes an excellent staple food, comparable in use to potatoes or cereals.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in mixed forest as well as planted in orchards between 400-2000 m altitude in China. It is best i light to medium well-drained soils. It needs an open sunny position. It is resistant to frost but damaged by drought.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, China*,

Cultivation

Prefers a good well-drained slightly acid loam but succeeds in dry soils. Once established, it is very drought tolerant. Very tolerant of highly acid, infertile dry sands. Averse to calcareous soils but succeeds on harder limestones. This species can vary in size from a shrub 4 metres tall to, rarely, a tree 12 metres tall. It is allied to the dwarf N. American species C. pumila, but unlike that species it has 3 seeds per bur. Valued in breeding programmes because of its dwarf stature and heavy bearing at an early age. Sometimes cultivated for its edible seed in China. Although it is winter-hardy in most of Britain, this species only really thrives in areas with hot summers. An excellent soil-enriching understorey in pine forests. Flowers are produced on wood of the current year's growth. Plants are fairly self-sterile. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation

Sow seed as soon as it is ripe, either in a cold frame or in an outdoor seedbed, and protect it from mice and squirrels. The seed has short viability and must not be allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist in a cool place such as the salad compartment of a fridge for a few months, but should be checked regularly for signs of germination. Germination typically occurs in late winter or early spring. Seedlings raised outdoors can be left in situ for one to two years before being moved to permanent positions. Plants grown in pots can go out to permanent positions in summer or autumn, with some cold protection in their first winter.

Other Uses

The bark, leaves, wood, and seed husks all contain tannin. The wood is hard, strong, and light, and is used for fence posts and similar purposes.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant.

Notes

All Castanea bear edible nuts. There are about 12 Castanea species. It is a cultivated plant.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

VERY TOXIC

Horse Chestnut (Conker)

Aesculus hippocastanum

Solipsist

Safe

Chinese chinkapin

Castanea seguinii

(c) MP Zhou, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by MP Zhou

Horse Chestnut (Conker): Round smooth nuts (conkers), bumpy green husk (not very spiny), palmate compound leaves (like a hand).

Chinese chinkapin: Nuts with pointed tassel, very spiny bur casing, simple toothed leaves.

Synonyms

References (11)

• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 636
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 225
• Bull. Soc. Dendrol. France 1908:152. 1908
• Huang Chengjiu, Zhang Yongtian, Bartholomew, B., Fagaceae, Flora of China. Vol. 4 p 316 and Flora of China. www.eFloras.org
• Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 341

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