Knowledgebase
Chinese Chestnut #878087
Asked July 21, 2024, 9:07 AM EDT
Oceana County Michigan
Expert Response
Here is an article discussing testing of the 'Colossal' chestnut, which is a hybrid of a Eurasian chestnut species and a Japanese chestnut species.
MSU investigating oak wilt as the cause of sudden chestnut tree decline - Chestnuts
The above article from 2023 also states the following regarding Chinese chestnut:
"Oak wilt affecting chestnut had not previously been confirmed or reported in Michigan. We identified a single report of the oak wilt fungus causing disease in Chinese chestnut (C. mollissima) in Missouri from the 1950s. However, we have since discovered that a chestnut grower in Ohio has lost more than a hundred 30-year-old trees with symptoms very similar to those seen in Michigan, and Bf was also isolated from these trees."
The chestnut species, Castanea, is listed in books as technically susceptible to oak wilt...but based on the article above, it seems like infection is possible but not very common.
Here are some resources to help prevent oak wilt:
Smart Gardening to Prevent Oak Wilt - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)
Understanding oak wilt - MSU Extension
Oak wilt: Diagnosing and preventing - MSU Extension