Dunstan Chestnut (Castanea dentata × mollissima)
 
The Dunstan chestnut is a hybrid chestnut tree developed to combine the best traits of American and Chinese chestnuts—offering the beauty and size of the American species with the blight resistance of the Chinese. Typically growing 40 to 60 feet tall, it has a broad, rounded canopy and long, lance-shaped leaves with serrated edges that turn golden yellow in fall. In early summer, the tree produces long, showy catkins, followed by spiny burs that split open in autumn to reveal sweet, nutritious nuts. These chestnuts are not only excellent for roasting and culinary use, but also serve as a valuable food source for wildlife. Fast-growing and hardy, Dunstan chestnuts are ideal for orchards, reforestation, and wildlife habitat plantings. With their disease resistance, high nut production, and ecological value, Dunstan chestnuts represent a hopeful future for chestnut restoration in North America.