Castanea sativa
Sweet Chestnut
The Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa), also known as the Spanish chestnut or just chestnut, is a deciduous tree native to Southern Europe and Asia Minor. It can reach heights of 20-35 meters with a trunk diameter often exceeding 2 meters. The bark has a distinctive net-shaped pattern, and the leaves are oblong-lanceolate with bold teeth. The tree produces edible seeds known as chestnuts, which are encased in spiny cupules. The flowers appear in late June to July and develop into nuts by autumn. Sweet chestnuts are naturally self-incompatible, requiring cross-pollination. The tree can live up to 500-600 years and sometimes even longer in cultivation.
Details
Fagales
Fagaceae
Castanea
The nuts are composed of two skins: an external shiny brown part and an internal skin adhering to the fruit. Inside, there is an edible, creamy-white part developed from the cotyledons. The fat content is low and dominated by unsaturated fatty acids. Sweet chestnut is a good source of starch, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and potassium. The energy value per 100 grams is approximately 213 kcal.
The tree's wood is durable and weather-resistant, used for posts, fencing, furniture, barrels, and roof beams. The nuts are used in various culinary applications, including flour, boiling, roasting, drying, and sweets. Leaf infusions are used for respiratory diseases and as a remedy for whooping cough. A hair shampoo can be made from infusing leaves and fruit husks.
Late June to July
20-35 meters
The sweet chestnut requires a mild climate and adequate moisture. It thrives in deeply weathered, limestone-free soil with an optimal pH between 4.5 and 6. The tree is intolerant of lime and soil compaction but can tolerate moderate shade. It prefers temperatures between 8 and 15°C and can survive temperatures as low as -15°C. The optimal precipitation range is between 400 and 1,600 millimeters.
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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