All plants /Shrub /Chinquapin
Chinquapin
Castanea pumila, beech family. Uncommon in East Texas.
At a glance
- What
- Small sweet chestnuts
- How
- Raw or roasted
- When
- Fall
- Where
- Sandy East Texas woods
- Value
- Starch, some protein
Caution: The spiny burr bites; open it carefully. The nut itself is simply a small sweet chestnut. Never eat a wild plant on this guide's word alone. Confirm identity against several sources and learn the look-alikes first.
Harvesting
Each spiny burr holds a single glossy brown nut. Tread the burrs open or wear gloves.
In the kitchen
A true chestnut in miniature, sweet enough to eat raw and lovely roasted.
Photo: Matthew C. Perry, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Forages well with
Forage safely. Never eat a wild plant on this site's word alone. Confirm identity with several sources, learn the look-alikes, and when in doubt, leave it in the ground.