All About Chestnuts

You'll rarely find chestnut bushes or trees on private properties. Decades ago, they were often planted in parks and public spaces, where every autumn, children eagerly search for the burst-open, green, spiky fruits and their treasures within.

The wood of a chestnut tree, while not particularly valuable, is easy to work with. It's considered weather-resistant and carves well.

A less common variety here in Germany is the sweet chestnut (Esskastanie). It's primarily cultivated on plantations in China and is considered a delicacy throughout Central Asia. These edible chestnuts are also known as "Maronen."

The local horse chestnut fruits can be toxic to humans in higher concentrations. However, wild animals love these fruits and are often given them as a food supplement by foresters during winter.

While chestnut trees in our latitudes, like all deciduous trees, appear bare in winter, in spring they not only sprout new foliage but also produce a very unique, candle-like bloom. In summer, large and old trees, in particular, are considered ideal shade providers, which is why benches were often built or placed beneath them. The colorful autumn foliage is also a feast for the eyes.

Many of the chestnut trees seen in public spaces today are around 100 years old. They take a long time to grow into stately trees. In their first 30 years, a chestnut grows about 10 meters, but they can reach up to 30 meters in height and live for up to 200 years.

Decades ago, they were especially common in the schoolyards of village schools to bring joy to children with their fruits and to spark their imagination, as the dark-brown, shiny chestnuts are wonderful for crafting. Unfortunately, they lose their luster and shrink when drying, but they remain extremely popular nonetheless.