December 8, 2005 at 6:10 a.m.
Where have all the chestnuts gone?
Where have all the chestnuts gone?
It probably would be more appropriate to paraphrase another song–– "Where have all the chestnuts gone?" The chestnut blight fungus, introduced at the end of the 19th century, has virtually wiped-out the American chestnut as a commercial species from the eastern hardwood forests. The disease was introduced into New York and spread quickly. As an introduced pathogen, resistance to this disease in the American chestnut population never evolved. This disease resulted in a complete destruction as a hardwood from Maine to Mississippi.
The American chestnut had an important role in American life. This huge tree was dubbed the redwood of the east. The wood was similar to the oak but with incredible rot resistance, and was said to follow a person from cradle to the grave. Log cabins built in the late 1700's are still standing today. The nuts were used to feed everything from hogs to humans. Within 40 years after the blight struck, four billion trees were estimated to have died. A study in Pennsylvania estimated the state loss at over $250 million dollars and that was in 1911.
The American chestnut produced prolific sprouts or sucker roots. Roots from trees cut or killed many years ago continue to produce sprouts that survive to the sapling stage before being killed. A few sprouts have managed to achieve height of 40 feet before succumbing to the blight.
In the 1950's, an Italian scientist noticed a reduction in canker growth in infected European chestnuts. This is where a virus attacks the infected fungi.
In 1976, the first case of this natural reduction was reported in Michigan. Other states where the chestnuts once reigned found these virus isolates as well. While this process has some hope, the virus grows very slowly and it does need some human help to move the process along.
Plant pathologists love solving disease problems, but it has to be a fair fight between co-evolving organisms. There is nothing fair about chestnut blight. To date, work continues to develop blight resistant chestnuts. In time, the American chestnut may become more than a distant memory and The Christmas Song may be more merry.
In Your Yard and Garden
Don't forget to stop by the Extension Office at 38780 Eighth Ave. to check out the great books we have for gift giving. There are also still a few copies of the 2006 Gardening calendar available. Be sure to say hi to Rene Rawson, our new full-time administrative assistant.
Ways to Access Information
The voice mail is checked year round. Leave a message at 651-674-4417 ext. 18, and a Master Gardener will return your call.
www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago. Check out the 'Hot Topics' box in the middle of the page for current Chisago County Master Gardener news and events.
You can also click on 'Ask a Master Gardener' next to the cute little flower on the right hand side of the page. Here you can search 1000's of answers from Master Gardeners around the state.
If you don't find your answer you can submit a question online or search for University publications.
Bell Museum of Natural History
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