Maine Seed Sales

Each fall TACF volunteers harvest seeds from Maine’s mature, pure-American chestnut trees. When planted and tended, these seedlings perpetuate the genome of this tree, buying us time to pursue solutions to the bane of blight. A planting of two or more trees takes care of pollination. The trees grow fast and can produce nuts in 7-10 years. Many trees last another decade and some will make it into their 30s.

Although each tree will eventually succumb to blight (or another fate), they enrich our lives while they live. To sit in the cool shade of young chestnuts, to hear the rustle of their leaves overhead, is to experience the past and find hope for the future.

The Maine chapter makes seeds and seedlings available to the public so people can learn to grow and love them as we do. In addition to perpetuating wild chestnut genes, growers of chestnuts increase our collective capacity for future restoration through hands-on practice with their husbandry.

The best time to plant American chestnuts in Maine is mid-May through June, after frost risk. With supplemental water, planting time can extend into summer or fall. Seeds can be direct planting into the ground or potted and grown for a season or two.  They seem to transplant better when they are less than 2-years old.

This year you need not be a member of TACF to buy seeds or seedlings from the Maine chapter but we certainly encourage you to JOIN. The Maine chapter will ship seeds to any state except WA, OR, CA, HI and AK. However, if you intend to plant chestnuts in a state other than Maine, please look for a TACF chapter in or near your state that has seeds to sell.

Good reasons to start planting chestnuts this year

• • The chestnut trees you plant now will provide ideal nursery shelter for the blight-tolerant chestnuts of the future.
  • You can test the suitability of potential sites for future chestnut plantings.
  • You’ll learn best practices and steadily improve your skills and tree growth.
  • Every Maine chestnut you grow helps preserve local genetic diversity.
  • In 10 to 20 years, your tree can produce poles and small saw-logs.
  • Happy trees will make you nuts in about 7 years!

How to get Maine-grown seeds or seedlings this year

To get seeds or seedlings to plant in Maine or a similar clime, you can:

Buy seedlings grown from our seed by these vendors. Plant at least 2 seedlings for good pollination because chestnuts do not self-pollinate.

Click on vendor name to check their website for details.

• • Ellis’ Greenhouse in Hudson ME @ $20; Available April 15 thru June. In-person pick-up only. No pre-orders. Call to check availability before making the drive but, please no calls before April 15.
  • Viles Arboretum in Augusta ME @$20 Pre-order now through May 19 for pick-up Saturday May 24.
  • FEDCO – mail order only @$30 bareroot, 2-season growth

Seedlings at Ellis’ and Viles are first-season whips grown in a plastic tube. They are ready for planting in the ground after risk of frost, mid-May through early summer.

Note: While Chinese chestnuts and hybrids sold commercially might resist blight, they won’t necessarily thrive in northern climes. Their form, appearance, and nuts are not those of pure American chestnuts.