Tree Pro
TREE ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED IN SPRING 2025. The HTIRC Collection does not ship with Tree Survival Kits.
Purdue HTIRC Select Pure American Chestnut Seedling (Castanea dentata)
Purdue HTIRC Select Pure American Chestnut Seedling (Castanea dentata)
****TREE ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED IN SPRING 2025. The HTIRC Collection does not ship with Tree Survival Kits.****
A portion of all Purdue Timber Select Series Trees sales goes back to Purdue University to continue their hardwood improvement programs.
The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) has been decimated in North America by the introduction of the Asian fungal pathogen (Cryphonectria parasitica) which causes chestnut blight. Numerous groups and individuals have been breeding blight resistance into the species through hybridizing it with Asian species and most recently, the State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry program are developing transgenic solutions. Our understanding of blight resistance and hybridization, coupled with this new transgenic approach, requires new plantings of American chestnut to support future breeding and to conserve the remaining genetic diversity before it’s too late.
Over the last two decades, our experience growing pure American and American hybrids with Chinese chestnut (C. mollissima), shows that blight-susceptible trees can be successfully grown and when they become blighted, they can recover through basal sprouts, and flower and produce large quantities of seed for decades.
We hope to make this a regular annual item to sell to provide seedlings to those interested in growing 100% American chestnut derived from isolated Indiana American trees. We are committed to supporting the continued conservation and breeding with the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, our partners in the Indiana Chapter of American Chestnut Foundation, and our other forestry collaborators.
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Purdue HTIRC Select Pure American Chestnut Seedling (Castanea dentata) Features and Specs
Features
Specs
Size Range- 40 ft+
Light Exposure- Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade (4-6 Hrs)
USDA Hardiness- Zones 4-8
Soil Preference- Acid, Well-Drained
Tolerances-Clay Soil, Dry Sites
Growth Rate- Moderate to fast
Details
Pure American chestnut is a keystone species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest that was decimated by the chestnut blight fungus introduced from Asia in 1904. Seed is sourced from grafted pure American chestnut orchards and rare wild survivors from our Indiana chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) cooperators. The HTIRC provides material in support of ongoing breeding and research needs first and then excess seed is distributed to the public. Seed for this line is collected only from isolated places without other chestnut species to hybridize with. All of these American chestnuts are highly susceptible to chestnut blight and have no genetic resistance and are best used as seed trees for conservation and wildlife attraction.
Installation
See our Install Video Tab for a tree planting video.