There are numerous different types of chestnuts, but basically two completely different types - the horse chestnut and the sweet chestnut. These two are not related, even if they look similar. They even belong to different plant families.
The chestnut does not belong to the same genus as the horse chestnut
In principle, all chestnuts are suitable for planting in your own garden. However, they need quite a lot of space and a sunny location. In terms of care and soil requirements, the species differ only slightly. An exception, however, is the Australian chestnut, which only has the name in common with the other chestnuts.
The horse chestnut
The horse chestnut (bot. Aesculus) is a genus with around twelve different species and belongs to the soap tree family (bot. Sapindaceae). Their fruits are inedible to slightly poisonous. Consumption causes gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. They are ideal for autumnal handicrafts and even as animal feed. Horse chestnuts are also very popular as avenue and park trees.
The sweet or sweet chestnut
The sweet chestnut (bot. Castanea sativa) belongs to the chestnut genus (bot. Castanea) and thus to the beech family (bot. Fagaceae). As the name suggests, the fruits are edible. Sweet chestnuts are much less common in a harsh area than in a mild climate. In the Middle Ages, many people depended on this food, which is now considered a delicacy, in order not to starve.
The chestnut
On the one hand, the fruits of the sweet chestnut are referred to as chestnuts, but above all the cultivated varieties of the sweet chestnut. The breeds are geared towards, for example, resistance to pests and diseases, longer flowering or harvesting times, but also the ability of the fruit to be stored. The fruits are usually larger and the crop yield higher. Therefore, they are particularly well suited for commercial cultivation.
The Australian Chestnut
It belongs to the legume family (bot. Fabaceae) and is often kept as a houseplant. It originally comes from Australia, is evergreen and is also traded under the name bean tree in this country, which is quite appropriate. The plant grows from a kidney-like bean that takes a long time to wither. Even if it practically never blooms indoors, the Australian chestnut is very decorative.
The essentials in brief:
- Horse chestnut: inedible fruit, ornamental tree
- Sweet chestnut: tasty, rather small, not long storable fruits, usually not very frost tolerant
- Marone: large, tasty fruits, can be stored for a long time, high yield, particularly suitable for commercial cultivation
- Australian chestnut: legume, "bean tree", very decorative houseplant
tips
If you want to plant a chestnut, then decide beforehand whether and how you want to use the plant or the fruit.