Didn’t know this but Tom Bledsoe’s Dad planted 3 chestnut trees behind the tenant house , they are about 30 ft high. Sent leaf and twig samples to the American Chestnut Society for identification.

The American Chestnut tree was virtually wiped out by a fungal blight brought over from Asia at the turn of the century.  It is estimated that 25% of all the trees in the Appalachian mountains were American Chestnuts, now they estimate around 100 survived.  I’m guessing these are Chinese Chestnut trees, but we’ll know for sure soon.

You can see the cycadas did a number on them this year.

Update: 9/9/2013

Received an email back from the American Chestnut foundation and the trees are confirmed to be Chinese Chestnut trees.  He also said that the cycada damage would substantially lower nut production next year too.