Our hybrid Chinese chestnut tree seedlings are grown from a carefully curated mix of elite parent trees—Empire Elite™, Qing, Peach, Stehli Elite Mix and others—selected for their blight resistance, excellent nut quality, and vigorous growth. These 8–14" tall seedlings are shipped with soil intact but without pots, making them easy to transplant.

🌱 About the Parent Trees:

Empire Elite™: Developed at the Rt. 9 Chestnut Co-Op, these seedlings come from a controlled breeding orchard designed to create half-sibling families with excellent nut production, disease resistance, and consistent growth. Empire Elite trees are prized for their combination of genetics that favor orchard-scale performance and resilience.

Qing: A standout cultivar from Kentucky, Qing trees are heavy producers with broad, attractive canopies and exceptionally sweet nuts. Qing is known for superior resistance to spring frost and blossom end rot, making it a reliable performer in variable climates.

Peach: Another Chinese chestnut cultivar, Peach offers vigorous growth and tasty nuts, contributing further to the robust, diverse genetics of these seedlings. Often used in breeding programs for its resilience and productivity.

Stehli Elite Mix: Sourced from Bob Stehli’s renowned breeding orchard in Ohio, the Stehli Elite Mix comprises seedlings from the 57 most consistently heavy-bearing trees out of an original 4,425. This mix offers exceptional nut qualities, high productivity, and disease resistance, making it one of the most thoroughly selected chestnut hybrid lines in North America.

Liu: Originating from the Nanjing Botanical Garden in China, Liu is a Chinese chestnut cultivar (Castanea mollissima) notable for its reddish leaves and burs. It is recognized for its vigorous growth and high disease resistance, making it a valuable addition to breeding programs aimed at enhancing these traits.

Sleeping Giant – A time-tested cultivar developed in Connecticut, Sleeping Giant is valued for its large, easy-to-peel nuts and vigorous growth. It thrives in a range of soils and climates, showing strong resistance to chestnut blight and producing reliable annual yields even under less-than-ideal conditions.

Gideon – Known for its cold-hardiness and adaptability, Gideon is a later-blooming cultivar ideal for northern growers. It offers steady nut production with good flavor and exhibits tolerance to spring frost and blight. Gideon trees are moderate in size with a tidy, upright habit.

Perry – A robust and fast-growing cultivar, Perry produces medium-to-large nuts with excellent flavor and texture. It stands out for its consistent yields, broad disease resistance, and ability to thrive in both loamy and heavy soils. A solid choice for growers seeking balance between vigor and nut quality.

Willamette – Originating from the Pacific Northwest, Willamette is a dependable producer with good resistance to blight and a moderate growth habit. Its nuts are medium-sized, mildly sweet, and favored for roasting. Willamette performs well in cool, wet climates where other cultivars may struggle.

🌳 Key Characteristics: