These long-lived giants with their easy to recognize deeply grooved bark are a rich source of nourishment for all types of creatures, including humans. Bee and moths love the nectar their flowers produce and squirrels feast on the nutrient packed nuts. Also edible to humans, sweet chestnuts are delicious roasted as snacks or flavouring in everything from cakes to (Christmas) roast dinner stuffing. Sweet chestnuts are the only nut that are a rich source of vitamin C as well as providing B vitamins and minerals including magnesium, potassium and iron.
Sweet chestnut at 35m when mature (and) can live for up to 700 years (They can develop) with vast girths (which can) reaching up to 2m in diameter. They belong to the same family as oaks and beeches.
The ancient Greeks dedicated the sweet chestnut to Zeus and the Romans brought it to our shores many moons ago. It’s since become a familiar sight in the British landscape where it happily rubs shoulders with native species.
Sweet chestnut is sought after for fencing and gates across the countryside.