Visited my property in northern Michigan last weekend to check on trees and such. I have a 20 plus year old American hybrid chestnut tree that finally produced a couple nuts in 2022. Stratified and planted in a root pouch spring 2023 and was very healthy when last fall came around. I decided to plant it out on a south facing ridge last fall. On May 12 it was just starting to bud. Checking on the tree last weekend (6/15), and it is looking very healthy, it has grow a foot, nice dark green leaves and it has quite a few catkins on it. Just find it unusual that a 14 month old seedling tree would already produce catkins. The tree is a little over 3.5 feet tall. Nature is like a box of chocolates sometimes..
Chestnut polination
- Thread starter TreeFan
- Start date
yoderjac
Well-Known Member
I don't know if this applies in your case or not, but I notices that on occasion, I've had chestnuts produce catkins and even empty shells on my deck in 3 gal RB2. I think it has to do with the root ball being limited by the container. When root growth is constrained, a tree will sometimes try to fruit. A tree that young can't really succeed, so their were no viable nuts of course. Once that tree was planted in the field, a year or so later, it went back to vegetative growth and no longer produced catkins.
Just a thought...
Just a thought...
gurgalunas
New Member
I agree. I frequently get catkins on potted trees in their 2nd yr, and even occasionally get fertile burs on 3 yr old potted trees (10 gal).
