Chestnut+Blight

THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT BLIGHT

Introduction media type="custom" key="705579"

Crypho-nectria parasitica the chestnut blight, is a fungal disease has virtually eliminated the once-widespread American chestnut

the blight appears to have been introduced from either China or Japan

Despite the devastation the blight caused to the American Chestnut tree, the root collar and root system of the tree are fairly resistant to the blight, so a large number of small American Chestnut trees still exist as shoots from existing root bases. However, the shoots are seldom able to grow enough to reproduce before the blight attacks

it is local in range, so many American Chestnuts survive where there is no other tree within 10 km

surviving chestnut trees are being bred for resistance to the blight

Location

Invasive Qualities

Control