Was it an American? BTW, I think the americans have the best tasting nuts. ....(Boy that don't sound right!)

Here's a photo I took today of what two out of my three Dunston chestnuts look like. I planted last year.
This year the top never came alive. I talked to the DNR Forester last week and he thinks the blight may hve already hit them.




I have the same problem with the Chinese chestnuts I planted several years ago

So I'm not getting the blight thing. Yea, it wiped out the American Chestnut. I understand that. However, how does this blight survive for decades with all the trees gone? There is no host. Can a blight like that lay dormant forever? How can this blight still exist when that tree has been pretty much gone for around 100 years?

I have 2 american chestnut trees, A friend has one and we have been planting groves of the trees around the area. A lot of tjem are 8 feet tall and looking good'

The blight top kills the tree. The root system stays alive and sends a new shoot which usually grows a few years until it dies back and the cycle starts again. I assume some of those old monster trees you see pictures of had root reserves that are hard to wrap your around because some of them are still sending out shoots still.

AJ any one nearby spraying dicamba ( spelling ) ? I had mine live about 4 years and took the tree tubes off one spring and lost them all after the farmer across the road sprayed his beans. I talked to a guy from the University and he said it was likely dicamba as they have no resistance and the fact that they all died at the same time.

Thanks never heard that before

The American Chestnut Foundation is interested in knowing where large native chestnuts are growing. Those trees were isolated from others that got the blight or they have natural resistence. I found a 60', 15" dbh tree near a road that they thought would be a great candidate for pollen and seed collection.

The blight can live and reproduce on imported chestnuts like the Asian it's natural host and European. Those species have resistance and shrug off an infection.

BTW it can also infect our related native chinkapins to a lesser degree.

We have a lot of mature Chestnut trees which I'm guessing are Chinese Chestnuts.
I'm not sure 100%, but they are Chestnuts.
Anyone who would like seeds, ( the entire nut which is segmented ) , can PM me in the fall.

These trees are lo o o o a d e d.

I don't think that is the issue with mine.

I know of 3 or 4 10-15" chestnuts that still produce. We watch where the ROW's are cleared and get the chestnut sprouts that are big enough to make walking sticks. Very light and strong when they dry out. Makes for good gifts and talk to give to hikers. Also you'll here of old property callings for corners or lines at chestnut stumps, very interesting.

I'm going to try to find chinese chestnut seeds if I can find a local tree, and then plant those nuts.

AJE, I have three Chinese chestnut’s that I planted about 15 years ago when i moved here. I looked about a week ago, and there are nuts on, not a large amount, but can get you some, I believe. Tried eating some a few years back, and might as well eat an acorn! Something always clean them up pretty fast, I presume deer, as there aren’t many squirrels right around here. If your interested, I’ll see if I can get you some!

Thanks. I'll keep you in mind if my land partner doesn't come through with some