Castanopsis carlesii seed

LATIN NAME: CASTANOPSIS CARLESII

COMMON NAME: Carles’ Chinquapin

The Carles chinquapin armors the round, open crown with the glossy, toothed leaves and the dense spikes of the small, cream flowers, the spiny husks holding the sweet, edible nuts that ripen through the autumn. The tree grows into the broad, evergreen tree of the warm hills, the bark stays grey and smooth, and the whole plant carries the sturdy, valuable look of the chestnut family. The nuts are small but sweet, and they have been gathered for the table for the ages. It likes the sun or the part shade, and the deep, moist, well-drained soil.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

In the chestnut family, the chinquapins have a recognised place in the studies of the warm forest trees and the nut crops, and the Carles species appears in the research on the sweet kernels and the plantation growth. The work covers the nut chemistry and the seed biology, while the horticulturists value the glossy evergreen foliage and the ecologists track the autumn nuts for the wildlife. The growers of the hardy nut trees keep the species in their catalogues.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

In the warm woodland, the Carles chinquapin feeds the forest through the autumn. The sweet kernels have been roasted and eaten for the ages, the nuts feed the squirrels, the birds and the people alike, and the broad, evergreen crown gives the year-round shade. The strong timber serves the construction and the tool handles. Sweet, generous and evergreen.

The Carles chinquapin seeds germinate in a gritty, sandy loam kept moist in the shaded spot. The seedlings rise with the glossy, toothed leaves, and they grow on steadily. Keep them in the sheltered place through the first year or two, and give them the deep, moist, well-drained ground. They transplant well in the mild, humid climate, and the spiny husks with the sweet nuts come within the few years.

To grow the Carles chinquapin from seed, sow the small, hard seeds singly into the deep flat of sandy, gritty loam, then cover them lightly, keep the flat in the bright, shaded spot and water gently. The seedlings appear within a few weeks, and they grow on steadily. Settle the young trees in the deep, moist, well-drained ground, and the spiny husks will armor the branches over the years.