Castanea Sativa - Sweet Chestnut

Castanea sativa, commonly known as Sweet Chestnut or Spanish Chestnut, is a large, fast-growing native tree with striking ornamental and practical value. Introduced into Britain by the Romans from Southern Europe, it is a handsome addition to parks, large gardens, and woodland settings. The tree produces large, glossy, sharply toothed leaves and develops deeply fissured, spiraling bark with age, providing year-round visual interest. Sweet Chestnut is also prized for its timber, which is coppiced for stakes, fencing, and construction, and for its edible nuts, which have been a food source for humans and livestock for centuries.

Sweet Chestnut is highly adaptable, thriving on well-drained soils and performing reliably across a variety of garden and parkland conditions. Its fast growth and robust stature make it ideal for specimen planting, coppicing, and woodland schemes. The tree produces long yellowish catkins in spring, with female flowers at the base, followed by spiny seed cases containing 1–2 shiny nuts. These nuts are a valuable food source for small mammals and are harvested for culinary use, particularly during winter as roast chestnuts.

This is the size and type we sell: Castanea sativa Sweet Chestnut 20–40cm Cell Grown and Castanea sativa Sweet Chestnut 40–60cm 1+1, professionally grown trees suitable for parks, woodlands, specimen planting, and coppicing projects.

Features & Benefits

Large, fast-growing deciduous tree with ornamental value

Striking glossy toothed leaves and deeply fissured bark

Produces edible nuts for humans and wildlife

Ideal for parks, large gardens, woodland, and coppicing

Coppiced wood used for stakes, fencing, and construction

Supports small mammals and local biodiversity

Thrives on well-drained soils and tolerates most garden conditions

Applications

Parkland and large garden specimen trees

Woodland creation and ecological planting

Coppicing for timber and fencing

Nut production for culinary use or animal fodder

Landscaping for councils, estates, and landowners

Wildlife-friendly planting schemes

Height & Spread (Approximate)

After 10 years: 8m height x 4m spread

After 20 years: 14m height x 8m spread

Growth assumes suitable site conditions.

Botanical Name | Castanea sativa

Common Name | Sweet Chestnut

Plant Type | Deciduous tree

Growth Rate | Fast

Mature Height | Up to 20m+

Mature Spread | Up to 8m

Soil Type | Well-drained soils

Aspect | Full sun to partial shade

Hardiness | Fully hardy in the UK

Plant Size & Type | 20–40cm Cell Grown / 40–60cm 1+1

Maintenance | Coppice winter every 10–12 years

Wildlife Value | Nuts eaten by small mammals; early catkins attract insects