Quercus

Spanish Chestnut

Castanea sativa

Not native to Kentucky

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

114CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Castanea

  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta incretaSouthern Oak Dagger, Eclipsed Oak Dagger, Small Oak Dagger
  • Acronicta lithospilaStreaked Dagger
  • Acronicta ovataOvate Dagger, Epauleted Oak Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Show all 114
  • Ancylis divisanaTwo-Toned Ancylis
  • Anisota senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
  • Anisota stigmaSpiny Oakworm Moth, Stigma Moth
  • Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Apantesis phylliraPhyllira Tiger Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Besma endropiariaStraw Besma
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Blastobasis glandulellaAcorn Moth
  • Cameraria bethunellaBethune Miner
  • Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
  • Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
  • Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
  • Coptotriche citrinipennellaOakleaf Edgeminer
  • Cydia latiferreanaFilbertworm
  • Datana contractaContracted Datana
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Dyseriocrania griseocapitellaChinquapin Leaf-Miner
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Euchlaena obtusariaObtuse Euchlaena
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Gesta brizoSleepy Duskywing
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Heterogenea shurtleffiRed-Eyed Button Slug
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hyperstrotia villificansWhite-Lined Graylet
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Ianassa lignicolorWhite-Streaked Prominent
  • Isa textulaCrowned Slug
  • Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Lithophane laticinereaBroad Ashen Pinion, Russet Spotted Pinion, Triple-Spotted Pinion
  • Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
  • Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
  • Mompha cephalonthiellaButtonbush Leafminer
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
  • Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Neurobathra strigifinitellaFinite-Channeled Leafminer
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Packardia elegansElegant Tailed Slug
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Paranthrene simulansHornet Clearwing, Golden Oak Borer
  • Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Peridea angulosaAngulose Prominent
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
  • Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
  • Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
  • Prionoxystus macmurtreiLittle Carpenterworm, Lesser Oak Carpenter Worm
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Pseudexentera spolianaBare-Patched Leafroller
  • Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
  • Psilocorsis quercicellaOak Leaftier
  • Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak, Falacer Hairstreak
  • Satyrium caryaevorusHickory Hairstreak
  • Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Scolecocampa liburnaDead-Wood Borer
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Symmerista albifronsWhite-Headed Prominent
  • Symmerista canicostaRed-Humped Oakworm
  • Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
  • Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
  • Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tischeria quercitellaOak Blotch Miner
  • Tortricidia flexuosaAbbreviated Button Slug Moth
  • Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
  • Bucculatrix trifasciella
  • Cameraria castaneaeella
  • Coptotriche castaneaeella
  • Coptotriche fuscomarginella
  • Coptotriche zelleriella
  • Dichomeris ventrellus
  • Menesta tortriciformella
  • Phyllonorycter kearfottella
  • Pseudexentera haracana
  • Stigmella castaneaefoliella
  • Stigmella macrocarpae
  • Stigmella saginella
  • Zimmermannia bosquella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Castanea

  • Andrena rehni
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Castanea

  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Fagaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–7b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Yellow or green

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

European Chestnut; Spanish Chestnut

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankNot available
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source

Sources