Sweet Chestnut. Seedling Trees

Sweet Chestnut Seedlings

Our sweet chestnut seedlings are grown from seed collected from our own Marigoule trees, which we grew as a seedling ourselves. After just 5 years it stands around 20ft tall and is cropping well.

Though, originally planted for timber and coppice, we found they are producing large nuts too. We have naturally selected the best seeds for growing on. 

Every seedling is genetically unique, so nuts will vary, but these are a proven, affordable choice for nut orchards, woodland, agroforestry and timber.

Whereas a grafted tree will create trees with the exact genetics as the mother tree. 

Features

• Grown organically in the UK from seed of a proven, well-cropping tree
• Vigorous growth: our parent tree reached around 20ft and began cropping in 5 years
• Large nuts seen in our own plantings, though size and quality vary tree to tree
• Durable, tannin-rich timber for fencing, cladding and outdoor construction
• Excellent coppice regrowth for stakes, poles and firewood

Flowering period

• Flowering is in early to mid-summer, with catkins from around June into July.
• Our selected trees flower in early to mid June, which avoids turbulent spring weather.
• Each seedling flowers at a slightly different time, which helps cross-pollination, so plant more than one.
• The trees are wind-pollinated, so a slow start for insects won’t stop a crop.

Fruiting period

• Nuts ripen in autumn, usually from late September through October and into early November, depending on the season and your site.
• Warm summers help nuts fill and ripen.
• Seedlings can take longer to crop than grafted trees, though ours have started cropping in around 5 years.

Best in a warm, sheltered spot with well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Space at 10–12m for nuts, or about 3m for coppice and timber

For more information read our Article on Sweet Chestnut Trees where we explore all the benefits & uses of these fantastic multi purpose trees, offer tips on how to grow them and share our own experience growing these trees in our our own Smallholding.