Identification of American Chestnut
Identifying American Chestnut Trees
This page is designed to help you distinguish among several species in the chestnut family (Castanea) commonly seen in North America. Also included are three non-chestnut species that are often confused with chestnut. Click on the names below to see examples and characteristics of the common species of chestnut or chestnut look-alikes.
Overview of the Nine Castanea Species
There are nine species of chestnuts and chinquapins worldwide making up the genus Castanea. Four are native to North America (the American chestnut and three chinquapin species) but many others have been imported and now grow in the wild in the United States. The most common is the Chinese chestnut, so a good place to start when identifying a chestnut tree is to compare American and Chinese chestnuts. All chestnut species can cross-breed (hybridize) so hybrids also occur.
Over 80% of the leaves sent to us each year for identification are either from Chinese chestnuts or Chinese/American hybrids, because these trees are resistant to the chestnut blight. Also compare American chestnut with three trees often confused with chestnut: chestnut oak, beech, and horse chestnut.
How to Have Your Chestnut Tree Identified by TACF
Chestnut tree identification is a free service that TACF provides to the public. A good leaf and twig sample is the best way to identify your tree, as photos alone can be misleading and do not allow for a definitive identification. For information about how to submit a sample, please visit the Identification page.