European Chestnuts

European Chestnut Stems & Buds

• Stem is robust, thicker than those of the other chestnut species
• Buds are larger than those of the other chestnut species

Burs

• A dense mass of long, slender spines
• Spines are 2 to 3 cm long, 0.5 mm thick
• Up to 3 nuts per bur

European Chestnuts Burs:

• A dense mass of long, stiff spines
• Spines are 2 to 3 cm long, 0.75 mm thick
• Up to 3 nuts per bur

Nuts

• Nuts are relatively small, 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter
• Tips of American chestnuts are pointed
• Nuts are hairy over 1/3 to 2/3 of length from pointed end
• Vascular bundles in a sunburst pattern on hilum end
• 2 to 3 nuts in each bur

• Nuts are relatively large, 1 to 2 inches in diameter
• Tips of European chestnuts are pointed
• Surface hair only at tip
• Vascular bundles in a large star pattern on hilum end
• 2 to 3 nuts in each bur

European Chestnut Leaf

• Prominent, triangular teeth on leaf edges
• Leaf elongate, with rounded base
• Long petiole (leaf stem)