Chestnut tree is an ancient inhabitant of our planet

This beautiful plant, undoubtedly, is an ornament of our planet. The chestnut tree belongs to the beech family. Scientists suggest that it existed in the Tertiary period. In the past, its distribution area was much larger than today: it grew in Asia Minor, Sakhalin and the Caucasus, Greenland and North America, on the shores of the Mediterranean. Homeland chestnut is considered to be Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

Awesome beauty

The modern chestnut tree is about 2 meters in diameter, and in height it grows to 35 meters. There are exceptions, as in Sicily grew "Chestan hundred horsemen" of giant sizes, in diameter it was almost 20 meters. The leaves of the tree are rather large - up to 25 cm in length, the width of the plate is 8 cm. On sprouts they are spirally arranged. The color of the leaves varies according to the seasons. In the spring they are brownish-red, they turn green in the summer, become golden yellow in autumn. In adult trees, the crown starts from a height of at least 7 meters, the lower branches disappear. After the leaves bloom, the plant immediately begins to bloom.

Fruits - the main wealth

People in ancient times realized that the tree of chestnuts can be used for their own purposes. Its nuts in some areas of the planet where it is impossible to grow cereals were the main component of people's food. The flour obtained from the fruits by availability Nutrients exceeds wheat, and, mixing them, it was possible to improve much the taste and quality of bread. Nuts themselves were also used for food - they were boiled, fried, dried.

In the service of man

Tree of chestnut Widely used today. Its fruits are used not only in the food industry, but also in medicine, and wood is made of magnificent furniture. Chestnut is an excellent honey tree, one adult tree can give up to 20 kilograms of honey. Wood is also used in construction, and natural colors are obtained from the bark and leaves. But the main wealth of chestnut is its fruit. The annual world production of nuts reaches 1.5 million tons.

distant relative

The right to be called a chestnut present, or noble, has only the chestnut tree sown (Castanea sativa). But he has a relative who is popular Much inferior to his brother, but well known in Russia. This chestnut is ordinary, in our country called horse. In these two species only the fruits are similar, and the leaves and flowers are completely different. They even belong to different families. The present belongs to the beech, and the horse to the horse-chestnut.

Tree-traveler from the Balkans

Until quite recently horse chestnut was rarely found in the middle zone of Russia. And although the city of Kiev was already adorned with these magnificent trees, on the territories north of the capital of Ukraine it was considered a heat-loving touring. Today, the chestnut, the cultivation of which has become commonplace in our country, is considered its own in many Russian cities. And few remember that his real home is the forests of the Balkan Mountains. In Europe, horse chestnut has long been revered as an outstanding tree, capable of decorating any park. A special charm is given to him by an impressive stocky trunk, grayish-white bark and large seven-leafed leaves.