dunstan chestnut seeds for planting Dunstan Chestnut Tree Seeds

Blight-resistant. Productive. Built for generations.

Castanea dentata x mollissima, the Dunstan Chestnut, is one of the most important nut trees you can grow in North America. This blight-resistant hybrid combines the size and flavor of the American Chestnut with the disease resistance of the Chinese Chestnut. Once nearly wiped out, the American Chestnut lineage lives on here, producing heavy crops of sweet, edible nuts that feed deer, turkey, bear, and people alike. If you are building a food forest, wildlife property, or homestead orchard, this tree belongs at the center of it.

• Blight-resistant hybrid combining American and Chinese Chestnut genetics
• Produces heavy annual crops of sweet, edible nuts
• One of the most valuable wildlife food sources in eastern North America
• Large-canopy shade tree with strong hardwood value
• Cold-hardy across a wide range of growing zones

Things You Probably Didn’t Know

It once dominated eastern forests.
Before the blight arrived in 1904, American Chestnuts made up nearly 25 percent of the eastern hardwood forest. A single tree could produce hundreds of pounds of nuts annually, feeding entire ecosystems and communities.

The roots never gave up.
Chestnut blight kills the above-ground tree but not the root system. Across the eastern US, old root systems still send up shoots. The Dunstan was bred to finally carry those genetics forward with resistance.

It’s one of the best wildlife plantings you can make.
Chestnuts drop earlier than acorns and are higher in carbohydrates, making them a preferred food source. Deer, turkey, bear, squirrel, and dozens of other species depend on them.

It’s nutritionally different from most nuts.
Chestnuts are low in fat and high in carbohydrates, closer to a grain than a typical nut. They have been ground into flour and used as a staple food for centuries.

Growing Details

• Botanical Name: Castanea dentata x mollissima
• Stratification: Required; 60–90 days cold moist stratification
• USDA Zones: 4–9
• Soil: Well-drained, slightly acidic
• Light: Full sun
• Height: 40–60 feet
• Spread: 40–60 feet
• Growth Rate: Moderate to fast

Plant two or more for cross-pollination and maximum nut production. A tree that feeds your land for generations.