Originating in Southeastern Iowa USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5B from Red Fern Farm. The parent trees have excellent crop-type genetics. Chestnuts are reputed to be THE FAVORITE food of deer, also great for human consumption. Pig and turkey also love to eat chestnut.

The wood has excellent rot resistance, and is similar to oak but softer.

Will grow a couple feet per year in an ideal grass/weed-suppressed location with good fertility and soil drainage. Fertilize by pushing a fertilizer-spike or by burying a half pound of 10-10-10 one foot downslope from younger trees, increasing distance and amount as trees age (please do your research on “tree drip line” and fertilizer amounts). Acidity should be approximately in the PH 5-6.5 range. Chestnuts will be stunted or killed from tall vegetation choking them out. Full or at least partial sun is best, sloping uplands and out of wet spots are what they like. Please be aware that their bits are covered with sharp spines, so they should be planted with appropriate distance from the house where people are likely to walk barefoot.

Nut trees are among the smartest investment for property owners who are want to increase food security. Chestnuts are particularly good because they produce yearly. An acre of 15+ year old chestnuts should produce over 1500 pounds annually, with exceptional groves producing 4000+ pounds per acre.

First nuts likely to appear in the 5-7 year range, but this will vary more or less. These should do well in most areas and climates of the Midwest and Eastern USA, with less chance of success in zones colder than 4 or warmer than 9, and will likely struggle in areas with very short growing seasons or low annual precipitation.

“Miscellaneous” have a great variety of parent trees with nuts varying mostly from medium to huge. The diversity of genetics will improve the chance of success on your unique site. No refunds for trees that arrived to you healthy in the mail, once safely arrived and planted there are too many variables that effect success, none of which I have control over. Please be sure to get them out of the box, watered, and somewhat shaded or at least out of direct sunlight til planting. Immediately after planting water thoroughly and please remember to keep the grass down!

Variety descriptions:

Badgerqing I, II, and III are seedlings of a cross between hybrids from Badgersett Research Farm (located in southeastern Minnesota), which were pollinized by 'Qing.' They are heavy bearers of medium to large nuts. Though the Badgerqing trees are pollen-sterile, about half of their seedlings should be pollen-fertile.

Large Badger I, II, and III are Chinese-American hybrids with all of their genetics coming from Badgersett Research Farm. Their seedlings should be mostly pollen-fertile. They are heavy bearers of medium to large nuts and their offspring should be reliably cold-hardy in zone 4b.

Jem, Gandalf, Gordon, Tucker, and Sandy are pure Chinese, reliable heavy bearers of large to extra large nuts, though they may occasionally over-bear and produce smaller nuts. Scott is pure Chinese, and is a reliable heavy bearer of extra large, exceptionally dark, mahogany-colored nuts. Luvall's Monster is a hybrid of as-yet-to-be determined ancestry, usually described as American-Chinese. It is one of the heaviest-bearing chestnuts in existence. Nut size can range from small to XXX large, even in the same bur. It is exceptionally cold hardy, and many of its seedlings survive in zone 4b.