Rare Find!

The Dunstan Chestnut is a hybrid tree that was crossed with an American Chestnut years ago. It grows much like the Chinese Chestnut and is blight resistant. If you were going to plant a large number of trees you might be better off planting CC's, they are MUCH less expensive and really will give you the same results. There is nothing wrong with the Dunstan tree except it's price as compared to the CC, and remember that is for a seedling not a grafted tree, so it's a crap shoot. You can get 15 CC for the price of one Dunstan. Both the CC and the Dunstan fall far short of the American Chestnut!
 
What is the blight? I have a lot of farm lands with 'woods' that I know would love some American Chestnut's. If you get a hold of spare seeds I would pay for you to ship me some, as I am sure some others here would be.
 
Some forestry dept brought chestnuts out here and planted them on my area to protect them from extinction. Either the blight showed up here or the drought and heat in 2011 killed both of them. They were seeding and growing nicely before 2011.
 
I had about forty Chinese chestnuts in the refrigerator, but that unit got too cold and froze them. Lost all the germ but two and I do have those going.

I am sure western Kansas is not a good area for CC, but will try anyway. K-State Forestry checked my bur oak(15 years old, 25.5' tall) and my gobbler sawtooth(15 years old, 24.5' tall). I had inquired since the trees have set acorns for several years, but abort them. Their answer to me, "You are west of Wichita."
 
Gentlemen,

The American Chestnut has haunted me since I was a young boy, we are now seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

I checked my inventory and I still have a few pure American Chestnut seed left. I also have a couple of hybrid seeds. Let me know if your interested. For a good story on the American Chestnut check the link by my signature, "somethings missing".
 
parooster said:
fldbred,

How far off are they from having a blight resistant American Chestnut? Are any of the hy-brids any good?
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They are in the sixth generation of a back cross breeding program. These trees are 15/16th American and are being planted by the thousands. There is also a GMO tree that has a wheat gene added and it looks like this tree is even MORE resistant to the blight than the Chinese Chestnut. Some real good things are taking place.
 
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Here are the two Chinese chestnuts that I started from seed.

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Here are acorns setting on my 15 year old bur oak. I hope this year the tree won't abort the acorns at about pea size.

IMG_5532_zpse7g9jshc.jpg
 
Any idea on why the abort of the acorns? You're growing season should be fine for Burr Oak.
 
FLDBRED said:
Any idea on why the abort of the acorns? You're growing season should be fine for Burr Oak.
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I don't know. State forestry said it could be drought, stress, heat, etc. and that since I am west of Wichita, I would have to baby it. Well a bur oak 25.5' tall at fifteen years isn't seeing much stress, although we do have some hot winds.

I have covered several bases this year in hopes of getting acorns to maturity. I put down a systemic insecticide. My pH here usually runs in the 7.5 range, so I put sulfur and iron in holes around the drip line and a little tree fertilizer. First time I have done anything but water it.
 
fldbred,

I don't think I fully understood the story of the American Chestnut until I watched that video in your signature. Boy it's pretty sad, and I can see why it has haunted you! I think I now have another hobby!
 
JohnMac29 said:
What is the blight? I have a lot of farm lands with 'woods' that I know would love some American Chestnut's. If you get a hold of spare seeds I would pay for you to ship me some, as I am sure some others here would be.
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JM, the link in FLDBRED's signature should share some good info. about the Chestnut Blight. In short, the blight is a fungus that destroys the bark of American chestnut because the chestnut does not have the natural genetic ability to fight it. However, as stated, blight tolerant hybrids (Dunstan and others) are available and blight resistant Genetically modified chestnuts are just around the corner. Look up your local chestnut chapter through TACF. Then maybe go to a meeting, makes some friends and ask your questions.

Wild American nuts are not easy to find. The trees usually die from the blight before they are mature enough to produce nuts. About 1 in 20 wild AC that I find actually grows old enough to produce nuts. That being said when you do find one you have to check it often because the squirrels and bears will climb the tree to get every last nut.

Once you have the nuts, stratifying, planting, protecting and getting them to trees is another challenge...but its worth the reward. If I have enough wild AC nuts I would be happy to share... check back with me in October.
 
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parooster said:
fldbred,

I don't think I fully understood the story of the American Chestnut until I watched that video in your signature. Boy it's pretty sad, and I can see why it has haunted you! I think I now have another hobby!
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PR,

Your not alone, most people are really touched when they learn the story of the American Chestnut. I can't travel through the forest of the North East and wonder what it must of looked like. We not only lost a very special tree but part of our heritage as well. These trees have been sending up shoots for over a hundred years, it's that American spirit that just won't let it give up.
 
:cheers: cheers FLDBRED, I love learning more about American Chestnuts, and you are right, they are a great portrayal of American Spirit
 
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