Castanea sativa

Specifications

Family

Fagaceae

Species

Castanea sativa Mill.

Common name

Castanea sativa
Commonly known as

sweet chestnut

european chestnut

Description

Yellowish, with a more or less dark brown heartwood, a coarse texture conferred by the large vessels in the spring area of the rings, and the grain is mostly straight. A frequent defect is bulbous growth, while the large, centuries-old stems are often hollow inside. The density varies greatly, from 0.38 to 0.70, with an average of 0.58. It can collapse during drying.

Plant morphology

A large tree that can reach 10 to 30 m in height. Under normal conditions, it develops a thick, columnar trunk with smooth, glossy, gray-brown bark; over time, this bark cracks longitudinally. The leaves, which can reach 20–22 cm in length, are lanceolate and pointed at the tip; they also have a distinctly serrated edge. It is a monoecious species, with male flowers (whitish and bearing 6–15 stamens) clustered in catkins in the leaf axils. The female flowers, however, are borne singly or in clusters of 2–3, and are surrounded by a sheath of bracts called a cupule. The fruit of this species, commonly known as chestnut, is botanically an achene with a leathery, brown pericarp.

Natural occurrence

Countries of origin and distribution

Southern Europe, Northwest Africa, Anatolia, and the Caucasus. Natural populations in the north do not exceed the Alps, and in the west they reach the Pyrenees. Human activity has led to its crossing the Alps, reaching Germany and southern England.

Habitat and ecology

A moderately thermophilic and heliophilous species, it is quite mesophilic even in its soil requirements; it suffers from late frosts in the inland valleys and prefers fresh, loose, nutrient-rich soils.

Uses

Use class

CU1

CU2

CU3

CU4

CU5

Application areas

Suckers from coppices are sought after for agricultural poles and power line poles. The material from the large trunks provides beams, sawn timber for furniture, window frames, and furnishings. Chestnut wood is extremely rich in tannins; for this reason, it has historically been used for tanning leather and for mordanting and dyeing clothing.

Use in musical instruments

In violin making it is an accessory wood of limited use.

Threats and Conservation

Threats

Chestnut trees are susceptible to various fungal pathogens, such as Chryphonectria parasitica, which causes chestnut blight; this disease causes the progressive drying out and subsequent death of branches, limbs, or the entire tree. Another fungal disease that causes significant damage to chestnut trees is chestnut ink disease, caused by various species of the Phytophora genus; this disease causes root rot, initially compromising water absorption and then causing the crown to dry out. Another threat to wild populations is felling.

Conservation measures

Not reported.

IUCN Red List IUCN

LC - Least Concern - Low Risk

CITES. Year of assessment CITES

2017

1975

2050

CITES Italia • Ultimo aggiornamento

2017

Not present.

Technical data

Aesthetic characteristics

Grain

Obvious

Texture

Coarse

Physical and mechanical properties

Density
ρ

570 kg/m³

Radial shrinkage
Rad. sh.

MPa

Tangential shrinkage
Tang. sh.

MPa

Bending strength
M.O.R.

110 MPa

Modulus of Elasticity
M.O.E.

11600 MPa

Durability characteristics

Fungal resistance

Durable

Insect resistance

Resistant