can you germinate horse chestnuts?

[bilsch01]

I tried sprouting horse chestnuts several times with no success however
it seems there must be a way. I had success with grocery store
chestnuts, and even got one to grow outside for a couple years, but the
young tree died for some reason.

TIA. Bill S.

[David E. Ross]

According to Sunset's "Western Garden Book", the seeds should sprout
quite readily. Perhaps the seeds you tried were damaged, not
sufficiently ripe, or too old.

Note that horse chestnuts and "real" chestnuts are not at all related.
Horse chestnuts are in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae). Chestnuts
are in the beech family (Fagaceae) and have mostly died out in North
America and western Europe because of the chestnut blight.

--
David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

A prayer for the days leading towards the Jewish holy days.

For those who hate, Let there be no hope,
And may all derision and disdain perish in an instant.
May intolerance be swiftly cut down.
May You quickly uproot, crush, cast down, and humble the arrogant,
Speedily in our days.
Blessed are You, Adonai, Who destroys enemies and humbles the arrogant.
— Alden Solovy

Heed this, President Trump!

[Jeff Layman]

On 23/09/2020 20:17, David E. Ross wrote:
> On 9/23/2020 11:14 AM, bilsch01 wrote:
>> I tried sprouting horse chestnuts several times with no success however
>> it seems there must be a way. I had success with grocery store
>> chestnuts, and even got one to grow outside for a couple years, but the
>> young tree died for some reason.
>>
>> TIA. Bill S.
>>
>
> According to Sunset's "Western Garden Book", the seeds should sprout
> quite readily. Perhaps the seeds you tried were damaged, not
> sufficiently ripe, or too old.
>
> Note that horse chestnuts and "real" chestnuts are not at all related.
> Horse chestnuts are in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae). Chestnuts
> are in the beech family (Fagaceae) and have mostly died out in North
> America and western Europe because of the chestnut blight.

In the UK there is little problem with Chestnut blight, although it is
increasing and is a notifiable disease. There are only a few local
outbreaks so far.

There is much more of a problem with Horse chestnuts, which are
suffering from bleeding canker and particularly badly from
Horse-chestnut leaf miner. I can't remember when I last saw a tree which
was not affected by leaf miner.

--

Jeff

[bilsch01]

Also I've never seen a horse chestnut germinate or sprout while laying
on the ground through the spring though there are very many there.

[David Hill]

Last time Igerminated some I put the fresh "Nuts" into a polythene bag
together with moist compost and put them in the salad tray in the fridge
and left them there till early spring then moved themto a cool place and
just watched for signs of roots begining. Then pot each one up and grow
coolfor a time.
If you think they would fall to the ground and spend the winter inthe
leaf litterwaiting for spring to start them into growth

[Frank]

Squirrels will bury my Chinese chestnuts and I see sprouts in the spring.