Chinese Chestnut
Castanea mollissima
Found in forests. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you
—
Not native
Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 82%
- Height
- 40–60 feet
- Spread
- 40–60 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
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At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- June to July
- Fruiting season
- September
JFMAMJJASOND
Recorded in 15 Virginia counties.
Habitats
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there. All habitats
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
122CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA
Genus host records with ranges including VA · 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 122
- Ancylis burgessianaOak Leafroller
- Ancylis divisanaTwo-Toned Ancylis
- Ancylis fuscocilianaSpider-Web Leaffolder
- Anisota peigleriPeigler's Oakworm Moth
- 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
- Argyresthia castaneellaChestnut Ermine Moth
- Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
- Besma endropiariaStraw Besma
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Blastobasis glandulellaAcorn Moth
- Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
- Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
- Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
- Coptotriche citrinipennellaOakleaf Edgeminer
- Cydia latiferreanaFilbertworm
- Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
- 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
- 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 castaneaeChestnut Clearwing Borer
- 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
- Zimmermannia phleophagaPhleophagan Chestnut Nepticulid Moth
- Bucculatrix trifasciella
- Coleophora leucochrysella
- Coleophora querciella
- Coptotriche castaneaeella
- Coptotriche fuscomarginella
- Coptotriche perplexa
- Coptotriche zelleriella
- Dichomeris ventrellus
- Menesta tortriciformella
- Phyllonorycter kearfottella
- Pseudexentera faracana
- Pseudexentera haracana
- Stigmella castaneaefoliella
- Stigmella macrocarpae
- Stigmella saginella
- Zimmermannia bosquella
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
1Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Castanea
- Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Fagaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–8b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to neutral
- Flower color
- Cream, yellow, gray/silver or white
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Growth habit
- Several stems
- Foliage color
- Green
- Fruit begins
- September
- Fruit ends
- September
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “June to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Cream, yellow, gray/silver or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “40–60 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “40–60 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Virginia rank | Not available |
|---|---|
| Global rank | GNR |
| VA status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
Sources
- Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
- USDA PLANTS
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- 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
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications