3. Sweet Chestnut

Common Name – Sweet Chestnut

Latin Name - Castanea sativa

Height - Up to 35 Metres           

Believed to be introduced by the Romans, this deciduous tree originates from Southern Europe and North Africa but has long been naturalised in the United Kingdom. This is a versatile and beautiful tree growing upwards of twenty-two metres and is particularly striking in summer when laden with both female and male catkins, which, appear in late June/July. These spiky capsules by autumn, produce a harvest of edible chestnuts that have for time been roasted to provide a winter’s treat. Interestingly, the Romans ground the chestnuts into flour and the timber has been widely used to make both furniture and barrels in Britain. The tree is also bee friendly, has smooth grey-purple bark and its leaves are long and glossy, turning golden and bronzed before falling in autumn.