- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Eastern North America, especially the Appalachians; now almost only as root sprouts
- Traditions
- Cherokee medicine, Haudenosaunee medicine
North America · Food · № 934
Castanea dentata
Food · North America
American chestnut
Castanea dentata
Once one of the largest trees of the eastern forests, with sweet, edible nuts. Related to the sweet chestnut.
Safety notes
A fungus from Asia, first seen in New York in 1904, killed billions of chestnuts within a few decades. Work is under way on resistant trees. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: The tree has almost disappeared because of chestnut blight.
Preparation
The nuts roasted or boiled.
Use in traditions
The nuts were an important autumn food for the Haudenosaunee, who give great power to nut- and fruit-bearing trees. According to the notes in Herrick, the bark was put into the food of young dogs against worms, and rotten wood of chestnut or pine was rubbed into a powder for chafed baby skin.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine
Attributed effects
As autumn food; the bark against worms in young dogs.
Preparation and amount
Roast or boil the nuts; mix the bark into the food of young dogs.
Caution: The tree has almost disappeared because of chestnut blight.