Once a magnificent spectre tree diagram in the woodlands of eastern North America , the introduction of an Asian plant fungal disease devastated population of aboriginal American chestnut Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Thus , the Chinese chestnut ’s practiced resistance to this disease finds it acquire as a substitute tree diagram , while the American chestnut tree grows only as a leggy bush that rarely flowers or sets fruit .

Taxonomy

Both members of the beech family ( Fagaceae ) , these two Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree species are closely come to and group into the botanic genus Castanea . The American chestnut is lie with as Castanea dentata , whereas the Taiwanese chestnut species is have sex as Castanea mollissima .

Nativity

American chestnut tree hail from the easterly deciduous and sundry forest of eastern North America – from New England southwest across southernmost Ontario and the Appalachians to fundamental Mississippi State . Chinese chestnut tree is aboriginal to eastern Asia – from the Korean Peninsula westward across the northern provinces of China .

History in North America

In 1904 a immature Formosan chestnut Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree was bring in into North America in New York that was infect with the chestnut blight fungus ( Cryphonectria parasitica ) . In the thirties and forties , the absolute majority of American chestnuts were exposed to this fungus and died back to their bole soapbox . While the Taiwanese chestnut species demonstrated some raw resilience to the fungus , the American chestnut had absolutely none . As fewer American chestnuts survive , few seeds were made – eventually hard decrease the species . The Chinese chestnut tree could be a substitute wraith tree diagram , but horticulturists selected varieties with seemingly better resilience to the fungus now widespread across North America .

Description

The American chestnut today rarely grows as an upright , narrowly ellipse , large - canopied tree like it did before introduction of the chestnut blight fungus . plant take on are no taller than 20 foot – with many thin upright branch shoot from old tree shorts , from just below the area infected by the fungus . The narrow-minded ellipse leaf are kelly green and tapering ovals with big - toothed edges . Undersides of leaves are smooth . seldom do the male catkin flowers and female bloom at the foot of the catkins form on these untested branch in former summer . Thus , the spined green - change state - brown fruits with deliciously sweet-flavored meaty nuts are rarely develop anymore .

Taiwanese chestnut grows 40 to 60 feet tall and nigh as encompassing in its leafy canopy . The leaves are bass glossy green with tooth on the edge . Leaf undersides are lightly haired . In early summertime , virile flowering ament liberate a revolting odor and throw pollen to touch the female flowers on branch tip . Round , spiny fruits age from unripened to John Brown and split opened to release edible orchis that are not as sweetly delicious as those of the American chestnut .

Uses

With the bearing of the fungus across both Asia and North America , the American chestnut tree is no longer planted and ordinarily never construe as a baronial specimen tree diagram . The Chinese chestnut tree is used as a substitute for the American chestnut , becoming a wraith tree for large landscape painting . The Chinese mintage is not used as a residential or street tree because of the olfactory property of the flowers and the yield , nut and folio litter shed annually . However , it is worthful in unmanageable , urban locations where a nuance tree is call for to grow in a juiceless , blistering or more or less alkaline soil situation .

References

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