sweet chestnut tree
Distinctive features
1. The leaves are large like a spear blade with saw like, sharply serrated edges.
2. Sweet chestnut husks are densely covered in needle like spines.
3. The nuts are somewhat flattened and taper to a point.
4. Old trees have ridges that spiral around the trunk.
5. The flowers look like long creamy white caterpillars (called catkins).
To remember the distinctive and main features of a sweet chestnut tree, use the following mnemonic:
Imagine someone guarding a chest full of sweets and nuts. The guard is holding a sharply serrated spear (the leaves are spear like with sharply serrated edges).The guard is wearing a strange hat that is spiralled (old trunks are spiralled). One of the nuts from the chest has fallen on the floor and the guard has put his foot on it and slightly squashed it (the nuts are slightly flattened). The chest is covered in dense needles of spines (chestnut husks have needle like spines). There is a long creamy white cat and kitten (the flowers are called catkins and are creamy white) and they would love the sweets.
Main Features of a Sweet Chestnut Tree.
1. Sweet chestnut leaves are shaped like a spear blade and the edges are sharply serrated with pointed teeth that curve forward. The leaves have a leathery texture and are smooth to the touch on both sides. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, meaning they grow singly at each node rather than in pairs or clusters.
2. The husks, which are also known as burs, are the protective outer covering that encases the nuts. They are spherical in shape and are covered in numerous sharp spines which gives a hedgehog like appearance. They grow in clusters.
3. When the nuts are ripe the husks split along natural seams allowing the nuts to be released. The sweet chestnut nuts are edible seeds and are highly valued for their nutritional content and culinary uses. Each husk contain 2-3 shiny nuts typically oval and slightly flattened on one side with distinctive tufts of hair at the pointed end.
4. As the sweet chestnut trees age the bark becomes much thicker and develops a deeply fissured, rugged texture. These fissures can create a spiral or twisted pattern around the trunk. Old trees can become extremely rigged and deeply grooved.
Image on right: Kylie Harrison Mellor
5. Sweet chestnut trees produce catkins, which are elongated, cylindrical flower clusters. Typically they hang down from the branches. The catkins are cream or pale yellow in colour.
6. The sweet chestnut tree.
The difference between horse chestnut and sweet chestnut seeds or nuts are as follows:
Sweet chestnuts are edible whereas horse chestnuts are not.
Sweet chestnuts are a delicious treat bought from street vendors who roast them.
Casings.
Nuts.
