Made from America
Not Likely, Anymore!
Have you ever seen an American chestnut tree? Probably not, if not you missed them by only a few decades. At one time, the American Chestnut Tree filled our eastern forests and supported a variety of life (human and otherwise). However, a devastating fungus disease which became known as the “chestnut blight” was accidently introduced into the U S by the planting of an Asian chestnut tree (it was immune to the disease) in New York City near the beginning of the 20th century. By 1950 the chestnut blight had killed practically every mature American chestnut tree on the continent.
The American chestnut tree was a very reliable and productive tree, unaffected by seasonal frosts, it was the single most important food source for a wide variety of life forms, including humans, bears, elks, and birds. Rural areas depended upon the annual nut harvest as a cash crop and for feeding livestock. The tree typically bloomed in June or early July with a milky white blossom display that was often referred to as “summer snow” because of the carpet of flowering blossoms laden upon the mountain tops.
The chestnut lumber industry was a major sector of rural economies as well. Chestnut wood is straight-grained and easily worked, lightweight and highly rot-resistant, making it ideal for fence posts, railroad ties, barn beams, and for constructing houses. The bark was even used in leather tanneries. The American chestnut tree is therefore often called “the perfect tree”.
You can go to the last link listed below see the Native growing Range Map. In times past, magnificent American
Occasionally a woodsman or a hiker may come upon a young chestnut tree growing in the wild of this variety. The source is none other than the root system of an older tree that is no longer among us. You see the blight only infected and killed that part of the tree that was above the surface of the ground, such anomalies don’t live long (10-15 years) though, so if you see one don’t get to excited about there “comeback”.
So far you’ve read a lot of bad news in regard to the American chestnut tree, so, the good news is, there is (after years of research) good promise for the development of an American chestnut tree that is immune to the dreaded “chestnut blight”.
Sources ...
We have a friend who is a naturalist at Bernheim Arboretum in Clermont, KY who tells us that there are some chestnut trees planted in the forest for research purposes, probably to develop a strain that is blight-resistant. Apparently the location of the trees is closely guarded and a secret even to many of the volunteer naturalists. Exciting to know that they're working on it, too, though, so close by!
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