Quite a Christmas Story
December 22, 2007

by Linda Corwine, Colorado Master Gardener

What a pleasant thought on a cold Christmas evening, chestnuts roasting on an open fire.   An old holiday favorite, The Christmas Song written in 1944, still congers up warm thoughts, but have you ever given any thought to these special holiday treats?

Being curious about this nut, and why we don’t see them growing in the Montrose or Grand Junction area, I discovered some very interesting things that I’d like to share with you. 

Some believe that chestnuts may have been one of the first foods eaten by early man.  The chestnut tree Castanea sativa, was enjoyed by the Greeks and eventually introduced to the Europeans, where it’s been an important food for centuries.  The majority of chestnut trees currently found in America are from European and Asian stock, although Native Americans once enjoyed nuts from American’s own native varieties. 

American chestnuts were once the most important trees of the eastern North America hardwood forest, which stretched from Ontario south to Georgia, and west to the Ohio valley.  One document vividly describes the central Appalachians so abundant with chestnut trees that in early summer when their canopies were filled with creamy-white flowers it appeared as if the forest was covered with snow.

A mature tree could reach one hundred feet tall with a diameter of five feet.  Several of these magnificent specimens were recorded to be as large as eight to ten feet in diameter.  Often, the first branches started fifty feet above the forest floor, making them an ideal tree for lumber. 

It’s said that an entire railroad car could be filled with the timber cut from just one tree.  The American chestnut, being a close cousin to oak, had fantastic color and texture.  This wonderful wood was straight-grained with an equivalency to oak in strength only much lighter in weight.  It was as rot resistant as redwood and used for everything from telegraph poles, railroad ties, fine furniture, musical instruments, plywood and even in tanning leather.  The trees were also very valuable to wildlife as shelter and a food source. 

The nuts were a vital cash crop for many Appalachian families.  They were once commonly enjoyed by all, and even fed to livestock.  During the holidays, the nuts were shipped by rail to New York, Philadelphia, and other large cities where street vendors roasted and sold the fresh, warm, nuts. 

So what happened to these wonderful trees?  Sadly to say, we were the cause of the tree’s demise.  In 1940, a fungal blight in Asian chestnut trees that were planted on Long Island introduced a serious problem, blight (Cryphonectria parasitica).  Our native trees had no resistance to this new blight and as a result, the disease spread very quickly, despite efforts to quarantine the remaining trees.  Many trees may have also been needlessly cut down in a panic to stop the spread of the disease.  By 1950, some nine million acres of eastern forests had disappeared.  Land that had once been shaded by the majestic trees with full boughs of the chestnuts, now stood empty with the ghostly skeletons of leafless, dead remnants.

For decades, plant pathologists and breeders have tried to create a blight-resistant tree by breading native species with a disease resistant Chinese chestnut.  To date, there is still limited success with this endeavor.  However, with advances in understanding the genetics of the tree, the future of the American chestnut trees appears promising.  We currently have a blight-resistant chestnut tree but it has very Chinese chestnut-like characteristics. The goal is to produce a tree that is fifteen-sixteenths American and one-sixteenth Chinese chestnut.  The American chestnut Foundation indicates that we could possibly see a blight resistant American chestnut tree ready for planting within ten to fifteen years. 

Unfortunately, this wonderful new species will not be happy with the growing conditions in our area.  You will still need to rely on nuts grown in other areas.  It seems a bit odd that the U.S. is the only country in the world with the soil and climate to grow chestnuts, yet does not have a commercial chestnut industry.  However, this may be slowly changing.  Many places, including Oregon, are now successfully growing chestnuts and experiencing the demand for their product. 

Because there are several varieties of chestnuts, I should warn you not to confuse Horse-chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) with these.  Horse-chestnuts, with their beautiful white spring blooming flowers, will do well in our area and the nuts appear to be very similar to other varieties.  However, they contain a toxin that can make you sick when eaten.  I find it interesting though, that deer are able to break down the toxins and safely eat the nuts.  It appears it will take more than a few nuts to stop their feeding actions.

Since we can’t grow these wonderful nuts in our area, to assure the best quality when buying nuts, choose those that are firm, heavy for their size, and have glossy shells.  Avoid nuts with small holes in them, as they could contain the larva of the chestnut weevil.  Because they are so perishable, they should be stored in the crisper of your refrigerator or frozen for future use.  

If you haven’t eaten fresh chestnuts before, and are wanting to give them a try, there are several sites on the internet that have terrific recipes.  They can be roasted, boiled, or prepared in a variety of ways.  They’re great in turkey stuffing or cooked with vegetables.  Some people think the nut’s flavor resembles a sweet baking potato and like to use the nuts in soups.  Don’t be afraid to be creative with them.

While it’s true the story of the American chestnut trees is sad and tragic, the future looks promising.  The majestic grand forests will never be what they once were, but to see the tree come back to its former glory is definitely something to look forward to, and the small chestnut industries that are popping up are a step in the right direction.

Why not make this the Christmas that you visit the nostalgic side of yourself, roast some chestnuts, and share the story of the enduring chestnut tree.   It’s a story worth remembering.