The American Chestnut Tree

from September-October Yadkin Valley Magazine

YVPeople: Katherine “Kat” Jackson

Harvesting Hope: Bringing Back the American Chestnut

Phyllis Baker Smith Natural Resources Agent N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center Pbsmith4@ncsu.edu 336.703.2858

In Autumn’s Woodland Bounty (Yadkin Valley Magazine, September/October 2020) I wrote about the forest resources available to indigenous cultures of the Yadkin Valley. The article touched on the American chestnut tree, (Castanea dentata), a magnificent tree that once dominated a range that dipped into the Deep South and extended all the way up into parts of New England. In North Carolina, the chestnut was abundant throughout the Appalachian Mountains, extending into the foothills and portions of the Piedmont including Yadkin, Stokes and parts of surrounding counties. Where are they now? Tragically, the American chestnut succumbed to the chestnut blight fungus, (Cryphonectria parasitica), within a few generations. First observed in New York in 1904, the fungus, introduced from the seeds of immune Chinese chestnuts, quickly reduced ancient groves of these towering giants into mere sprouts.

In times past, chestnut trees were vital to the well-being of Native Americans and settlers. The tannic acids in the bark ironically produced anti-fungal properties when used for preserving leather. The straight-grained, rot-resistant wood produced shingles, cabins, siding, barns, furniture, fencing, paneling and firewood. However, the first frost of autumn revealed the most valuable commodity when the prickly outer burrs opened to signal the beginning of another year’s nut harvest. Chestnuts produced a plentiful and dependable yield, providing sustenance for wildlife and a form of nourishment for people that was consumed raw or roasted, dried for storage, or ground into flour for bread. The surplus fed livestock, with enough left over to barter or sell.

Biologists have described the American chestnut blight as the single greatest ecological disaster of the twentieth century. Their loss as a functional forest tree was not just a blow to biological diversity, but to the people that had come to depend on their annual bounty. For post-blight generations it might be tempting to consider other native nuts as acceptable alternatives, but not all nuts are created equal. Most derive their nutritional value from high concentrations of fat, producing a calorie dense source of energy, but “walnuts roasting on an open fire” just doesn’t have the same ring…or taste…or composition. Chestnuts are low in fat but high in complex carbohydrates—in some ways more like a vegetable. Their starchiness yields a mild sweet flavor, which is intensified by drying or roasting. Other benefits include a cholesterol free source of fiber, protein, B-complex vitamins, vitamins A and C, folate and minerals including iron and calcium. Moreover, they are not a hard nut to crack compared to hickories or walnuts.

Readers may be wondering about the chestnuts that show up in grocery stores and farmer’s markets each fall. These are most likely imported European or European-Japanese hybrids, or locally grown Chinese chestnuts, which can be eaten roasted or prepared into a number of tasty dishes. But are they the same? Chestnut aficionados describe the homegrown variety as superior in taste and texture. And if size makes a difference, the smaller American chestnuts are more efficient at converting starch into sugar, yielding a sweeter flavor while retaining their crunchy “nuttiness.”

So how would one come across American chestnuts? Fortunately, the American chestnut tree is not extinct. The fungus invades the bark through natural fissures or other openings. Cankers form and eventually girdle the trunk, killing the aboveground portions but not the roots, which are protected by natural soil components. Shoots emerge from old roots to

produce new roots that continue to perpetuate the species. Some shoots grow into small trees that live long enough to produce a couple of generations of nuts before becoming infected. It is a lucky forager indeed that stumbles upon such a treasure, but unlike other forest gems, (I keep the location of morels all to myself), this finding needs to be shared.

Two non-profit organizations are working to restore the American chestnut tree. The American Chestnut Foundation (acf.org) and the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation (accf-online.org) take different approaches, but both use science-based research to chart a course that may someday restore chestnut groves to their former glory. So harvest when possible, but take a citizen scientist approach and report any findings. The ACF provides a link to an online Tree Locator Form assessable by clicking on “Resources” and then “FAQs” from the home page. Both organizations also provide instructions for planting wild seed nuts.

Why would one plant seeds that will sprout into trees will most likely be doomed? Because planting an American chestnut tree is planting hope. The shoots emerge will produce new roots that can go on living even after the blight strikes. If we are able to perpetuate the species long enough, trees with natural resistance may someday evolve. The more we plant, the greater the genetic diversity, and diversity gives rise to the adaptations that help our native species survive. chestnut trees

roasted chestnuts

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In the meantime, here’s a few tips for selecting and enjoying the store-bought varieties:

Shriveled nuts indicate a lack of freshness, or the work of chestnut weevil larvae, which produce pinholes in the shell after emerging.

Store nuts in the fruit drawer of the refrigerator until ready to use.

For best results, chestnuts should be boiled, roasted, or microwaved prior to eating or using in recipes. Most instructions recommend using a sharp knife to carefully cut an “X” pattern through the shell, or punching holes to allow steam to escape. Use an internet search engine to find detailed online instructions.

Chestnuts pair well with wild rice and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, or Brussel sprouts. The ACF website offers a Fact Sheet for Eating Chestnuts that includes several recipes. Click on “Resources” from the Home Page and then “TACF Factsheets”.

Your non-native chestnut creations will be tasty, but the chance to eat an American chestnut will yield a more potentially satisfying experience, it not through taste alone, then through the experience of reaching back into the past and enjoying a treat that helped sustain our ancestors.

Visit a chestnut foundation website today, and learn what you can do to help bring back this American treasure. A young future chestnut lover along with a young chestnut tree. Photo by Elizabeth Allison