Plant Details

Castanea sativa

Sweet Chestnut

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Common names

43 names · 34 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (33)
Dutch
  • Tamme Kastanje[2]
French
  • Châtaigne
  • Châtaignier commun[2]
Afrikaans
  • soetkastaiing[2]
  • Spaanse kastaiing[2]
Arabic
  • كستناء حلوة[2]
Armenian
  • Շագանակենի ցանովի[2]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Pitomi kesten[2]
Czech
  • kaštanovník jedlý[2]
Danish
  • Ægte Kastanie[2]
Estonian
  • harilik kastanipuu[2]
Finnish
  • jalokastanja[2]
Galician
  • Castiñeiro común[2]
German
Hebrew
  • ערמון[2]
Hungarian
  • Szelídgesztenye[2]
Irish
Italian
  • castagno[2]
  • Castagno europeo[2]
Japanese
  • ヨーロッパグリ[2]
Lithuanian
  • Valgomasis Kaštainis[2]
Macedonian
  • Питом костен[2]
Norwegian
  • edelkastanje[2]
Polish
  • Kasztan jadalny[2]
Portuguese
  • Castanha-portuguesa[2]
  • Castanheiro[2]
Russian
  • Каштан посевной[2]
Slovak
  • gaštan jedlý[2]
Slovenian
  • pravi kostanj[2]
Spanish
Swedish
  • äkta kastanj[2]
Turkish
  • Anadolu kestanesi[2]
Ukrainian
  • Каштан їстівний[2]
Welsh
  • Castanwydden bêr[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Castanea sativa Mill. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Esskastanie (DE); Sweet Chestnut (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 154483; taxon 5XCVW.
[2] Castanea sativa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Sweet Chestnut — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Edelkastanie — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Esskastanie — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castanheiro — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castagno europeo — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castaño — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Châtaignier commun — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castanyer — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • ערמון — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Pitomi kesten — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • kaštanovník jedlý — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Tamme kastanje — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castanha-portuguesa — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • edelkastanje — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Valgomasis Kaštainis — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Szelídgesztenye — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Ægte Kastanie — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Каштан посевной — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Kasztan jadalny — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • ヨーロッパグリ — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Echte Kastanie — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • harilik kastanipuu — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • äkta kastanj — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castiñeiro común — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • 歐洲栗 — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • 甜栗 — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • 欧洲栗 — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • 甜栗 — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Շագանակենի ցանովի — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Anadolu kestanesi — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • castagno — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • soetkastaiing — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Spaanse kastaiing — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • pravi kostanj — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • كستناء حلوة — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Питом костен — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castán — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Каштан їстівний — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • gaštan jedlý — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • Castanwydden bêr — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • jalokastanja — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.
  • European chestnut — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 121763; Castanea sativa.

General information

Scientific name: Castanea sativa
Accepted name (Kew): Castanea sativa Mill. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fagaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Castanea (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Sweet Chestnut
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 24.38–30.48 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 9.14–15.24 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Broad, Columnar, Pyramidal, Rounded

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Seed
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(5)
Functions:
Wood

Description

Seed - raw or cooked. In its raw form, the seed has a slightly bitter taste, which significantly improves after cooking. The result is a delicious preparation with a soft texture and a flavor reminiscent of sweet potatoes. This seed is rich in carbohydrates and can be dried, ground, and used as flour in various dishes such as bread and puddings, or as a thickener in soups. Additionally, the roasted seed can serve as a substitute for coffee. Furthermore, sugar can be extracted from this seed.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 15/11

Crown

Crown shape: Broad pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 975697; name ID 34916; Castanea Daubenton. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 975822; name ID 35042; Castanea sativa Mill..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Castanea sativa

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1826632, ID 5XCVW: Castanea sativa Mill. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Castanea sativa — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 80 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .