How Do You Identify American Chestnut Trees?
There are several different types of chestnut trees and they can occasionally get confusing. Between the American, Chinese, Horse and Japanese chestnut trees, identification can be difficult. However, if you take the time to look at the details, an American chestnut tree is fairly easy to identify and classify. The leaves, nuts and stems make the American chestnut a one-of-a-kind tree. Look at the leaf very closely. The leaf of the American chestnut tree is the only one whose “teeth” along the edges are curved into hooks. The other chestnut trees have smaller teeth with no hooks. The American chestnut leaf is also generally longer and thinner than that of other chestnut trees. The Chinese chestnut tree, most often confused with the American chestnut, has a wider leaf that is thick and waxy to the touch. The chestnut of the American chestnut tree is smaller than the others and has a slightly hairy look—small white hairs cover roughly half of the surface. The burrs that house the chest
