Common Name: Chinese Chinquapin

General Information

Castanea seguinii is a deciduous shrub or a small tree that can grow up to 12 metres tall[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is often cultivated, especially in China, for its edible seed[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - central and eastern China.

Habitat

Mixed mesophytic forests and thickets, orchards; at elevations from 400 - 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Castanea seguinii is a moderately cold-hardy tree, tolerating temperatures down to around -20°c when dormant. It grows best in areas with hot summers. In areas with cooler summers(even if the winters are mild), such as the maritime regions of the temperate zone, it often grows poorly, usually failing to produce a crop of fruit[, ].
Prefers a good well-drained slightly acid loam but succeeds in dry soils[, , ]. Once established, it is very drought tolerant[, , ]. Very tolerant of highly acid, infertile dry sands[]. Averse to calcareous soils but succeeds on harder limestones[, ].
This species can vary in size from a shrub 4 metres tall to, rarely, a tree 12 metres tall[]. It is allied to the dwarf N. American species Castanea pumila[], but unlike that species it has 3 seeds per bur[].
Sometimes cultivated for its edible seed in China[].
Although it is winter-hardy in most of Britain, this species only really thrives in areas with hot summers[].
Flowers are produced on wood of the current year's growth[]. Plants are fairly self-sterile[].
All the different Castanea species are interfertile and will hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, ]. Small, but a good flavour[, ]. Eaten raw, there is a distinct astringency, especially if the fleshy inner skin beneath the outer shell of the seed is not removed[]. When cooked, however, and especially when baked, the seed becomes much sweeter and has a floury texture[]. It then makes an excellent food and can be used as a staple food in much the same way as potatoes or cereals[]. Two or three seeds are usually produced per cupule, each seed 15 - 20mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Castanea seguinii is an excellent soil-enriching understorey plant for growing in open pine forests[].

Other Uses

This species is used in plant breeding programmes, especially with the American chestnuts, because of its immunity to chestnut blight[]. It is also valued because of its dwarf stature and heavy bearing at an early age[].

The bark, leaves, wood and seed husks all contain tannin.

The wood is light in weight, hard, strong, very durable. It is used for fence posts etc.

Propagation

Seed - where possible sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame or in a seed bed outdoors[]. The seed must be protected from mice and squirrels. The seed has a short viability and must not be allowed to become dry. It can be stored in a cool place, such as the salad compartment of a fridge, for a few months if it is kept moist, but check regularly for signs of germination. The seed should germinate in late winter or early spring. If sown in an outdoor seedbed, the plants can be left in situ for 1 - 2 years before planting them out in their permanent positions. If grown in pots, the plants can be put out into their permanent positions in the summer or autumn, making sure to give them some protection from the cold in their first winter[].