Chestnut (Castanea) Marron de Lyon 12L

Marron de Lyon is a classic French sweet chestnut from the Rhône region, prized for the quality of its nuts. Unlike ordinary chestnuts, which contain two to four smaller kernels, each nut holds a single large kernel, which is the traditional choice for marrons glacés. In October it produces glossy, reddish-brown chestnuts with sweet, floury flesh. They are perfect for roasting by the fire, stuffings, soups and festive recipes. As a grafted variety, it starts cropping young, often within three to five years of planting, whereas a seed-grown tree can take up to twenty. Long yellow catkins appear in early summer.

This is a large, long-lived tree, best suited to spacious gardens, paddocks, smallholdings and parkland, where it makes a magnificent specimen with glossy, serrated leaves and handsome furrowed bark as it matures. Plant in full sun in deep, well-drained soil. Chestnuts dislike chalky or waterlogged ground and thrive on the neutral to acidic soils found across much of the South West. For the most reliable crops, plant with a different chestnut variety nearby for cross-pollination, such as Maraval or Marlhac. Fully hardy (RHS H6). The nut husks are covered in sharp spines, so wear gloves when gathering the crop.

Supplied in a 12-litre pot.

Each tree is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.