Castanea Dentata American Chesnut exhibits broad, dense, spreading growth habits. American Chesnut is clothed in wide, simple, alternate, dark green leaves that become yellow-gold in the fall. The shade tree bears insignificant female flowers on smaller catkins in midsummer and yellowish-white male flowers on longer catkins from June to July. American Chesnut thrives in moist, well-drained soils under full sun to partial shade. It is suitable for home landscapes. The tree also bears prickly burrs that open during the first frost and gives way to 2-3 sweet, edible nuts that drop to the ground from September to October.