Chinquapin

Castanea pumila

Michael Ellis

Taxonomy

Division:: Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:: Fagaceae
Genus:: Castanea
Species:: Castanea pumila

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:: Perennial
Growth Habit:: Shrub , Tree
Height:: More than 40 ft
Light Requirements:: Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:: Medium
Bloom Months:: mar, apr, may, jun
Bloom Colors:: White
Landscaping Shrub:: Yes

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:: ★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Ancylis burgessiana, black-dotted spragueia (Spragueia onagrus), Dyseriocrania auricyanea, Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Neurobathra strigifinitella, Orange-tipped oakworm moth (Anisota senatoria), Phyllira Tiger Moth (Grammia phyllira), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), spotted oakworm moth (Anisota stigma), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma), Yellownecked caterpillar (Datana ministra)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Hummingbirds: Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope), Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope), Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus), Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) Butterflies:Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon), Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon), Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), California Sister (Adelpha californica), California Sister (Adelpha californica), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Golden Hairstreak (Habrodais grunus), Golden Hairstreak (Habrodais grunus), Hairstreak sp. (Satyrium Scudder), Horace's Duskywing (Gesta Evans), King's Hairstreak (Satyrium kingi), King's Hairstreak (Satyrium kingi), Northern Cloudywing (Cecropterus Herrich-Schäffer), Pine White (Neophasia menapia), Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops), Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops), Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta), Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:: sandy, well-drained, acidic soil
pH:: 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:: excellent drainage required
Moisture:: dry to moderate
Notes:: prefers nutrient-poor conditions typical of native habitats

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seed may be floated in water to help determine viability. Seed that floats is normally poorly filled and has low or no viability. Floaters are discarded, while the seed that sinks is retained for planting.

Establishment: Seeds are collected from established seed orchards in the fall immediately after the burrs (spiny husks) have split open to expose the nuts. Chinkapin is native to the eastern and southern United States in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 to 10. It is tolerant of high heat and acid soils (pH 5.5-6.0), but is not tolerant of coastal salt spray or shade.

Source: npn.rngr.net