From Western Pennsylvania with family that had travelled much of the United States . Vacations were often camping trips with hiking and learning about nature. Now especially interested in American chestnut and other Castanea species and distinguishing them reliably. Am enjoying learning. Have found assuming I know something can lead to mistakes and will continue to learn. For example I assumed trees in Illinois were hybrids because they were planted but may be close to 50 year old nut producing Americans.! I. Information added September 2023,
American chestnut info from Peoria, Illinois Forest Park Nature center: Hi Daphne,
Thanks for contacting us about the chestnut trees at Forest Park Nature Center. You are right that they are American Chestnuts, and surprisingly they are 100% so. (these trees are not hybrids). It is my understanding that the trees were planted around the building in the 1970’s in an effort to preserve them as we are just outside of their natural range. The thought was that they could escape the blight that way. Aside from those planted, we do not have any wild grown chestnuts in the preserve.

Sadly, we have lost 2 of the trees in recent years which I suspect was due to the chestnut blight. When they started to decline, we had them cut down with the hopes that we would get some coppice re-sprouts, but that didn’t happen. I believe that we have 4 remaining trees in the parking lot/ roadside, but one of those is starting to show signs of disease and losing limbs. With the American Chestnuts, the trees tend to do ok until they reach a certain age and the blight takes over. So I think that since they are all approaching the 50 year mark, that is what’s happening.

We used to have a gentleman who collected the nuts and propagated them, but it has been several years since he or anyone else has attempted to do so. I think that the red color you were seeing was just a glare in the photos, we have not treated the trees with anything.

I have cc’d Susie Grana Ingram here, as she is our Chief Naturalist and oversees the nature center. If you wanted to see the trees on site, she or another one of our naturalists would be happy to show them to you.
Have a great day!

Kristi Shoemaker (she/her)
Supervisor of Environmental and Interpretive Services
Peoria Park District
1314 N. Park Rd.
Peoria, IL 61604
(309)681-2903
kshoemaker@peoriaparks.org