We could graft or, perhaps, even clone trees, via tissue culture techniques from the rather abundant chestnut sprouts found in some areas of the state. We could also increase the growth rate of selected existing sprouts by cutting trees around them. These methods would require us to wait for several years before the relatively small chestnut growths became large enough to bear flowers. Finding accessible flowering trees for breeding purposes is, therefore, the preferred approach for the rapid recovery of the American chestnut in the Bay State.

Flowering American chestnut trees are rare in Massachusetts. Chestnut rootstocks have survived in many old patches of mature forest, but large resident trees shade chestnut sprouts and retard their growth. Also, my observations of hundreds of sprouts on the Blue Hills Reservation suggest that most of them are killed by the blight before they are large enough to flower.

When large trees that have died of natural causes are cleared, small chestnut growths are exposed to direct sunlight which allows them to grow rapidly. Abundant sunlight also stimulates chestnuts to flower. Initial infections of the chestnut blight may also encourage trees to flower. For this reason, there is often a narrow window of opportunity for pollination of a flowering tree, before it dies of the disease.

Grazing, intensive agriculture, and development of an area during the last 70-100 years will probably have killed chestnut rootstocks. Therefore, searches for surviving American chestnuts will be most successful in areas that have been continually forested for many years.

The flowering Randolph tree was found along a bike trail built several years ago. The cutting of trees for the trail "released" a chestnut sprout and it developed into a growth with three six-inch diameter trunks. Similarly, a flowering tree in Stoughton was found five yards from the edge of a recently constructed housing subdivision. Other places to look are along roads or power line right of ways that have been constructed or widened in the last five to fifteen years. Wood lots cut several years ago and areas where many trees were killed by insect attack or wind blow-down are also good places to search.

Chestnut trees like well-drained soil so they will not be found in wet areas. However, a small hill in a large swamp or a side slope a few yards from the edge of a pond are dry enough. I have found many chestnut sprouts in woodlands that have large boulders or exposed ledge. These areas are now being intensively developed by default, because wetlands are protected by federal and state environmental regulations. Blasting and bulldozing efforts that leave a lot of broken stone around recent construction sites are a clue to well-drained soils amenable to chestnut trees.

Flowering chestnut trees can be discovered in all seasons by searching the forest floor for their dark brown two-inch diameter burs. In the spring,blooming of suspect trees can be confirmed by the appearance of thin green catkins that develop soon after the leaves. Chestnut trees are most easily found when in full bloom in late June and early July. The six to eight-inch long, white catkins are quite dramatic and chestnut pollen has a strong distinctive smell. In late summer, green burs will be obvious on reproducing trees.

Ornamental horse-chestnut trees are often confused with American chestnuts. Horsechestnuts are usually large trees (six-thirty inch diameter at breast height) that have been planted along roads or in front yards. They also show no sign of the large wounds or cankers that are found on most large American chestnuts. Their very large burs, nuts and flowers as well as their compound leaves (seven or five leaflets radiating from a single green leaf stalk) distinguish them from true chestnuts. True chestnuts have single leaf blades that are attached by one green stalk to the sides or terminal ends of woody twigs. Horse chestnut burs have relatively few spines that are spaced about 1/2 inch apart while American chestnut burs are completely covered with thin extremely sharp spines.

Leaves of the American beech resemble those of chestnuts. Beech leaves, however, are broad resembling a football in proportion rather than the long narrow head of a lance or spear. Larger beech in an area will be seen to have unusually smooth bark that is a uniform light gray in color. People often carve long—lasting initials in the bark of this species.

Two additional characteristics help me quickly find chestnut trees and sprouts. First, the growth form of many surviving chestnuts is visually striking and can be used to sight trees from a considerable distance. Chestnut growths often consist of a dead upright trunk three to six inches in diameter surrounded by sprouts radiating from its base. When I find an area with these sprouts, I start to check lower leaves of nearby larger trees that have similar looking bark. Second, several-inch long American chestnut leaves are bordered with big 1/2 inch long curved teeth. With a little practice, these large, unusual-looking leaves can be seen from several yards away.

Tree identification guides available at local libraries or bookstores do a good job of describing the differences between American trees. Additional identification information is also available at The American Chestnut Foundation’s web site www.acf.org and on the form linked to this document.

True chestnuts that you find may not be pure American trees. Chinese, Japanese, and European chestnuts have been planted in Massachusetts for more than 150 years. Trees found on old farms or in orchard areas may be pure Eurasian species. Any tree found in Massachusetts may be a hybrid with both American and foreign parentage.

Distinguishing Eurasian trees and, particularly, hybrid trees from pure American chestnuts can be difficult. But leaves that are thick, stiff and shiny are probably not of American origin. Also fully developed chestnut leaves that are exposed to direct sunlight but appear hairy or fuzzy indicate that a tree is not pure American. One can detect these many fine hairs without a lens by licking the underside of a suspect leaf. Also, leaves that have blunt bases rather than long, tapering ones are probably not from native trees. Finally, a tree that produces nuts larger than 1/2 inch wide is likely to be a Eurasian orchard variety.

It is desirable that local trees used for breeding be pure American or largely of American ancestry. For this reason, the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation has leaf and twig samples of candidate trees evaluated by Dr. Fred Hebard at the Meadowview Research Farm in Virginia before including them in its breeding program.

Pollinating chestnut trees is difficult and can be dangerous, because blossoms form on the ends of branches usually located on the top half of trees. Pollination of trees by climbing and pulling branch tips into tree trunks for application of pollen and bagging was not very successful last summer. We are, therefore, looking for trees that can be accessed by a bucket truck that is normally used for power line work or tree pruning.

Again, If you think you have found an accessible, blooming American chestnut tree please send specimens to Dr. Anne M. Myers, 33 Chase Run, Stoughton, MA 02072, email: ammyers@massmed.org, phone & fax: 781-344-9836. Leaves and twigs should be submitted for identification by completing and following the instructions on The Massachusetts American Chestnut Tree Identification Form. Before cutting leaves and twigs, please read Dr. Meyer's Letter of Instruction very carefully.