# Sweet Chestnut

## Castanea sativa M.

NATURE | deciduous tree
LEAF | singular leaf
| Leaf edge: dentate
Leaf shape: oblong
Nervation: feather-veined
FRUIT | nut
INFLORESCENCE | in spikes

Medical value: Parts of the leaves are used as a treatment for respiratory infections.
Use: The pulp is edible. Often it is grinded to flour and used for baking bread. The wood is very valuable, extremely strong, hard, elastic, durable. It has a lot of applications: hoops, poles, tent poles, fences, coffins, wine barrels, furniture…Often used in papermaking and for charcoal too.

Legend:

Bloom. All months in which we can find blooming specimens. Regional differences may occur.
Harvest Time. All months in which we can find ripe fruits on trees. Unripe fruit can be found earlier on trees and shrubs. Sometimes even throughout the year, as happens with trees such as pines, this fruit ripens over several years.
Both flowers and ripe fruit may occur at the same time in some months.