# Are There Any Chestnut Trees in Michigan?



## fishingrookie

Has any one seen chestnut trees in Michigan? Can chestnut trees survive Michigan's cold weather? I like to eat the freshly harvested nuts.


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## Forest Meister

Yes and Yes. There is at least one tree in Marquette that has produced nuts for years. FM


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## gman12

When I was a kid (65 now) the neighbor had 2 and had nuts every year.


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## Padilen

Yes.


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## HemlockNailer

Pt. Austin has lots of them.


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## Radar420

Cadillac has a few 

http://users.netonecom.net/~cavb/chestnuts.htm


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## Linda G.

There are two types, at least, of Chestnut trees in Michigan, the standard orchard variety, a Chinese Chestnut, and the native American Chestnuts, which were almost eradicated from the blight in most other parts of the country, but escaped the plague in northern Michigan since they were brought into the area by settlers from Ohio, W. Virginia, etc., and planted very sparingly, leaving large gaps of land with no chestnuts at all, which kept the blight from moving north. 

The Wexford Conservation District has had an active American Chestnut planting/stocking program from some of the trees in the Manistee and Wexford County areas for years. They sell their seedlings all over the world, and to nurseries who over them in tree packets to other conservation districts and planting programs. 

I know of American Chestnuts in this area that are more than 50 feet tall and at least 150 years old. Unfortunately, the blight has reached northern Michigan, and some of these trees are now suffering, although it's spotty. 

If you can get a tree to the point where it regularly flowers and produces nuts, you will find it is a wildlife magnet.


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## Liver and Onions

fishingrookie said:


> Has any one seen chestnut trees in Michigan? Can chestnut trees survive Michigan's cold weather? I like to eat the freshly harvested nuts.


I have 28 in cardboard pots next to my garden that I will be planting on Labor Day weekend. 20 Colossal and 8 Chinese. I sure hope I live long enough to try a few of the nuts. If not, I hope someone down the line appreciates their dad's or granddad's effort.
I did not know northern Michigan still had chestnut trees. Thanks for the info, my next trip up that way I will be looking or asking around for a location to see one.

L & O


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## spoikey

Linda G. said:


> There are two types, at least, of Chestnut trees in Michigan, the standard orchard variety, a Chinese Chestnut, and the native American Chestnuts, which were almost eradicated from the blight in most other parts of the country, but escaped the plague in northern Michigan since they were brought into the area by settlers from Ohio, W. Virginia, etc., and planted very sparingly, leaving large gaps of land with no chestnuts at all, which kept the blight from moving north.
> 
> The Wexford Conservation District has had an active American Chestnut planting/stocking program from some of the trees in the Manistee and Wexford County areas for years. They sell their seedlings all over the world, and to nurseries who over them in tree packets to other conservation districts and planting programs.
> 
> I know of American Chestnuts in this area that are more than 50 feet tall and at least 150 years old. Unfortunately, the blight has reached northern Michigan, and some of these trees are now suffering, although it's spotty.
> 
> If you can get a tree to the point where it regularly flowers and produces nuts, you will find it is a wildlife magnet.


There are also Horse Chestnuts. We can't eat them though.


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## eyesforever

Name of the place escapes me, but the fruit/veggie place at 112th/M37 S. of Newaygo has a stand of them, and sell the nuts.


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## Linda G.

Horse chestnuts are not true chestnuts. The nuts you see at veggie stands are from orchard Chinese trees. 

Colossals are hybrids. They will grow in Michigan, albeit very, very slowly due to our cold and snowy winters. Don't hold your breath. 

The natives also grow very slowly. I have two natives in my yard that are now 15 years old and finally producing a few nuts a year, but not many, and they are only about 20 feet tall. 

You can buy true American chestnuts through the Wexford CD as well as other CDs in MI, but you may be better off with the Chinese orchard trees if you want quick fruiting trees. They don't grow very tall, and need to be pruned to produce regularly.

There are large natives throughout northern lower Michigan. Again, not a lot, they don't reproduce here like our native trees do. But you can find them in Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties as well as Wexford, Manistee, and Benzie.


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## Liver and Onions

Linda G. said:


> .......
> 
> Colossals are hybrids. They will grow in Michigan, albeit very, very slowly due to our cold and snowy winters. Don't hold your breath.
> .........


Colossals probably should not be planted in your area. They are rated for Zones 5-9, -20F. Map:http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

They grow at a normal to quicker than normal rate and need a pollinizer.

L & O


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## Copper116

eyesforever said:


> Name of the place escapes me, but the fruit/veggie place at 112th/M37 S. of Newaygo has a stand of them, and sell the nuts.


That might be Nelson's Farm market.. just West of that intersection


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## Copper116

There is also a chestnut farm in Coopersville, MI; Ottawa County 
http://www.chestnutfarms.com/


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## Copper116

I have been planting Chinese Chestnuts for a few years now.. the oldest are about 4.5' tall now... I've had a pretty decent survival rate considering the landscape and soil in Lake County. Like Liver and Onions said... I may not see them at their peak but hopefully my children and grandchildren will benefit.


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## swampbuck

My niece has a native Chestnut at her house in St. John's. But I don't know if there are more in the area.


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## d_rek

We have a massive one at the back of my grandmothers property smack dab in the middle of a small red oak flat. It drops fruit in a smooth green shell, though i've never eaten it. My inlaws have a 'horsehead' chestnut tree in their front yard that drops these gnarly spiked fruit. The nut is inside the shell, though it's very bitter and not very good to eat. Deer seem to like it though.


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## multibeard

D_rek If it is dropping nuts in a smooth green shell it is probably not a chestnut. American and Chinese chestnuts are in a spiked outer shell like a horse chestnut. Some times my chestnuts will open while still on the tree and drop the brown chestnuts to the ground. There are two nuts in each spiked shell.

I always thought that the chestnuts were Chineese but I am thinking now that they are American A few of the trees have died back but have come back from the roots. A friend had gathered some nuts from the property we worked at 40 years ago. He planted them in his garden and offered to let me dig some. I will tell you they have a tap root to hell. It took a long time for mine to take hold but seeing how long ago he gathered the nuts I am thinking that they must have been American Chestnuts.


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## Nostromo

I think there is one at Greenfield village, it's over by the blacksmith shop.


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## Radar420

d_rek said:


> We have a massive one at the back of my grandmothers property smack dab in the middle of a small red oak flat. It drops fruit in a smooth green shell, though i've never eaten it. My inlaws have a 'horsehead' chestnut tree in their front yard that drops these gnarly spiked fruit. The nut is inside the shell, though it's very bitter and not very good to eat. Deer seem to like it though.


Definitely not an American chestnut. American chestnuts are like your in-laws horsechestnut except on steroids - the burrs are super spiny like a sea urchin. I typically use leather gloves to pick burrs.

I know of at least 6 chestnuts in Cadillac and the ones I find usually have 3 brown nuts per burr.


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## d_rek

multibeard said:


> D_rek If it is dropping nuts in a smooth green shell it is probably not a chestnut. American and Chinese chestnuts are in a spiked outer shell like a horse chestnut. Some times my chestnuts will open while still on the tree and drop the brown chestnuts to the ground. There are two nuts in each spiked shell.
> 
> I always thought that the chestnuts were Chineese but I am thinking now that they are American A few of the trees have died back but have come back from the roots. A friend had gathered some nuts from the property we worked at 40 years ago. He planted them in his garden and offered to let me dig some. I will tell you they have a tap root to hell. It took a long time for mine to take hold but seeing how long ago he gathered the nuts I am thinking that they must have been American Chestnuts.


Ah I think you're right. I think it's a hickory tree.


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## Bucman

My neighbor has 20 acres of nut bearing trees. I believe it was posted earlier in this conversation in Ottawa County


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## Richard Cranium

swampbuck said:


> My niece has a native Chestnut at her house in St. John's. But I don't know if there are more in the area.


I think I met you two years ago at Camp Crawdad. If you don't mind sharing, where in St Johns? I was raised there most of the younger part of my life and have traveled the city streets for years and don't recall any chestnut trees other than Horse chestnuts. I would seriously like to try these things. Come to find out, I have/had a large bag of these out in my polebarn. If they still are there, they probably wouldn't be very good since they have been there (if they are still there) for several years (still in the husk)!
How dose one go about eating these things?


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## swampbuck

She is out north west of town in farm country. I have only been there once, but I believe we went west at the last intersection before you start coming in to St. John's. New gas station on the corner, and lots of new subs on that road. I could get the name. Her in-laws are the major fuel suppliers to farmers in that area

I tried some she roasted. They were ok, not great though.


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## Radar420

Richard Cranium said:


> I think I met you two years ago at Camp Crawdad. If you don't mind sharing, where in St Johns? I was raised there most of the younger part of my life and have traveled the city streets for years and don't recall any chestnut trees other than Horse chestnuts. I would seriously like to try these things. Come to find out, I have/had a large bag of these out in my polebarn. If they still are there, they probably wouldn't be very good since they have been there (if they are still there) for several years (still in the husk)!
> How dose one go about eating these things?


Meijer typically carries them in the produce section in the fall/winter.


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## Paddle

My family has one old, tired native chestnut hanging on with just one branch still leafing out every year. This year we had some blooms but I guess chestnuts don't usually self pollinate. So we have the burrs but I'm afraid it won't produce any viable seeds for the rest of it's life unless we come in and pollinate for it....


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## Copper116

I've been getting mine from Winkel Chestnut Farm in Coopersville, MI. 616-895-1332


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## multibeard

Yesterday I checked the chestnuts on my old place, my sons now. Most are now dead but some are regrowing growing from the stumps. There is a clump of 8 footers that must have come from a nut buried by a squirrel.

The wood is nasty knarly wood. I found that out when I tried to split some with a big power splitter. I wonder what it would look like turned on a lathe. I am gong to have to send some to a guy on another site that just bought a new lathe. I am sure that it will give the lathe a work out


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## hypox

Paddle said:


> My family has one old, tired native chestnut hanging on with just one branch still leafing out every year. This year we had some blooms but I guess chestnuts don't usually self pollinate. So we have the burrs but I'm afraid it won't produce any viable seeds for the rest of it's life unless we come in and pollinate for it....


I have one out back that does the same thing.


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## Fishndude

I planted a Horse Chestnut tree at our cabin, that I dug out of my Mom's gardens this fall. It first had to endure being driven 100 miles in a 5 gallon bucket, in the back of a pickup truck, so it got to our house with no leaves left. Then it sat outside for weeks, until the bucket had some standing water in it (along with the dirt) and it froze on top a few times. I planted it last week, and am hopeful it will survive. If not, we would have just thrown it away, anyhow. I planted at the back of some lots we own across the street from our actual cabin. We don't need to walk around on those spines in bare feet, but it would be a nice tree for the local Squirrels, and Deer.


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## Liver and Onions

Fishndude said:


> I planted a Horse Chestnut tree ............
> ...........
> but it would be a nice tree for the local Squirrels, and Deer.


Deer do not eat Horse Chestnut. This tree is barely a relative of the true Chestnut. Other than shade, not a useful tree.

L & O


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## Paddle

hypox said:


> I have one out back that does the same thing.


Where do you live approximately?


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