Growing chestnut

nut

Pollination

Self-sterile - plant two or more different seedlings or varieties.

Growing it

Zones 4-8. In the eastern US grow blight-resistant Chinese or Chinese-hybrid chestnuts, not the near-extinct American species. Fresh nuts must be refrigerated.

Will you get enough chill?

Chestnut needs roughly 400–800 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.

Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.