Chrysolepis chrysophylla

(Douglas. ex Hook.) Hjelmq.

Golden chinkapin, Golden chestnut

Fagaceae Edible: Seeds, Nuts 4,997 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Chrysolepis chrysophylla is a species of flowering shrub or tree in the beech family known by the common names golden chinquapin, giant chinquapin, and western chinquapin. It is native to the Pacific coast of the United States.

Description

An evergreen tree. It grows 9-30 m high. The trunk can be 1 m across. The tree is broadly cone shape. The bark is grey and furrowed. The leaves are oblong to sword shaped and 10 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. They are rigid and leathery. They do not have teeth. They are glossy dark green above and hairy underneath. The male and female flowers are separate but usually on the same spike. They are creamy white and in catkins about 4 cm long. They have a scent. The fruit are a spiny husk about 4 cm across. These contain 1-3 brown nuts. They are edible.

Edible Uses

The seed can be eaten raw or cooked and is very sweet and much appreciated. It can also be dried, ground into a powder, and used as a thickening agent in soups or mixed with cereals when making bread. Each seed is about 1cm long and has a hard shell.

Traditional Uses

The kernel or nut is roasted and eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

No medicinal uses are known for this plant.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. They are native to the western United States. They grow in woods and thickets in coastal mountains. It can grow in poor soil conditions. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.

Where It Grows

Australia, Britain, Europe, North America, USA*,

Cultivation

It can be grown from fresh seed. They can be grown from cuttings.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, with protection from mice. The seed has short viability and must not be allowed to dry out; if stored overwinter it should be kept cool and moist. As soon as seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow on under glass for at least their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts, and consider providing some frost protection during their first winter outdoors.

Other Uses

The wood is fine-grained, light, soft, and not strong. It is occasionally used to make ploughs and other agricultural implements, and also as a fuel.

Production

Plants grow quickly in their early stages. Trees take 3-6 years to start fruiting. Trees can live for 400 years. Trees often produce larger crops every second or more years. Nuts are best picked when ripe but just before the husk has fully opened. Not all nuts ripen at the same time.

Notes

There are 2 (or 1) Chrysolepis species. (There are also said to be 100 Chrysolepis species, but this includes Castanopsis species.)

Synonyms

Castanopsis chrysophylla (Douglas ex Hook.) A. DC.Castanea chrysophylla Douglas ex Hook.

Also Known As

Evergreen chinkapin, Giant chinquapin, Golden-leaved chestnut

References (19)

Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994) (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 253
Bot. Not. suppl. 2(1):117. 1948
Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 267
Coombes, A.J., 2000, Trees. Dorling Kindersley Handbooks. p 150

Show all 19 references

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 377
Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 210
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 115
Glowinski, L., 1999, The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia. Lothian. p 126 (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)
Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.WDT.QC.ca)
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 222
Krochmal, A. & Krochmal, C., 1982, Uncultivated Nuts of The United States. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. p 16 (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)
Lyle, S., 2006, Discovering fruit and nuts. Land Links. p 121
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Schuster, C. E., 1947, Edible Nuts of the Pacific Northwest. Ecoomic Botany 1(4): 389-393
Tozer, F., 2007, The Uses of Wild Plants. Green Man Publishing. p 59 (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)
Uphof, 1968, (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)
Usher, 1974, (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)
Wickens, G.E., 1995, Edible Nuts. FAO Non-wood forest products. FAO, Rome. p 122 (As Castanopsis chrysophylla)