Castanea sativa

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A thousand-year old Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) in Corsica.
Castanea sativa
Sweet Chestnut fruit
Scientific classification
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Castanea
Species: C. sativa
Binomial name
Castanea sativa

Chunks of information

Use of wood

Sweet chestnut wood
This tree responds very well to coppicing [1], which is still practised in Britain, and produces a good crop of tannin-rich wood every twelve to thirty years, depending on intended use and local growth rate. The tannin renders the young growing wood durable and resistant to outdoor use, thus suitable for posts, fencing or stakes. The timber of the species is marketed as chestnut. The wood is of light colour, hard and strong. It is also used to make furniture, barrels (sometimes used to age balsamic vinegar), and roof beams notably in southern Europe (for example in houses of the Alpujarra, Spain, in southern France and elsewhere). The timber has a density of 560 kg per cubic meter, and due to its durability in ground contact is often used for external purposes such as fencing. It is also a good fuel, though not favoured for open fires as it tends to spit. [2]






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