Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fagaceae

Genus:

Castanea

Species:

Castanea crenata

USDA Symbol:

CACR27

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, deer

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow, bronze

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from the root crown following fire or cutting damage.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers soils with good organic content

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds lose viability quickly and should be planted fresh or stored moist. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI