Is there a difference between chestnuts and chestnuts or can all chestnuts be eaten? We clarify and present the 4 most important differences.
Chestnuts are a popular autumn treat that has many fans. If the tempting nuts are to be collected in autumn, however, there is quickly a great deal of uncertainty, because not all chestnuts are the same - only a few chestnut varieties are actually edible. In Germany, the inedible horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), but also the tasty sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) are grown in many gardens Find. Fortunately, the distinction between horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts is not rocket science, because there are actually several identifying features by which the trees can be distinguished.
| Feature | Horse Chestnut | Chestnut |
|---|---|---|
| Edible | No | Yes |
| Fruit | Round, spherical | Flatted and hairy tip, stigmata |
| Fruit Cover | Few, hard spikes | Lots of soft spines |
| Leaf Shape | Five-membered, "hand shape" | Elongated oval, serrated edge |
| Blossom | Distinctive, upright flower spikes | Inconspicuous flowers resembling willow catkins |
| Flowering | April to June | June to July |
Which chestnuts can you eat?
Around twelve species belong to the genus of chestnuts (Castanea) - including the sweet chestnut, the Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata) and the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), all of which are edible to humans. The horse chestnut, which is often found in Germany, does not belong to the chestnut family, but to the soap tree family (Sapindaceae) - it is not suitable for consumption as it causes nausea and vomiting.
What is the difference between horse chestnut andSweet chestnuts?
Horse chestnuts, unlike chestnuts, are not edible for humans because they contain toxic saponins. In fact, the two types of chestnuts also differ externally: you can tell them apart by the shape of their fruit, the fruit skin and the appearance of their leaves and flowers.
Difference 1: Fruits
Distinguishing between sweet chestnuts and horse chestnuts is not difficult - in fact, the fruits are enough to tell the two apart. The fruit of the horse chestnut has a particularly spherical and round shape, while the chestnut is flattened and tapers to a point on one side. The stigmatic branches at the pointed end of the chestnut are particularly striking - these are often surrounded by brush-like hairs and do not occur on the horse chestnut.
Difference 2: pericarp
The prickly pericarp is one of the most striking features that distinguish horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts. Because even if the husks of the chestnuts look confusingly similar at first glance, you can see clear differences on closer inspection: the horse chestnut has particularly hard and pointed spines on its leathery shell, which can hurt if touched carelessly. Sweet chestnuts are surrounded by significantly more spines, but these are softer and usually do not injure the skin.
Difference 3: Leaves
If you pay close attention when collecting chestnuts, you can tell from the tree whether the chestnuts are edible. In fact, the leaves of horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts differ significantly. The leaves of the poisonous horse chestnut usually have five to seven segments and their appearance is very reminiscent of a hand, which is why they are often used for decorative purposes. The leaves of the sweet chestnut, on the other hand, are not multi-part, but hang individually on the branches. Their jagged edge also clearly distinguishes them from the leaves of the horse chestnut.
Difference 4: Flowers
Admittedly, if you want to collect chestnuts, the shape and color of the flowers is not a good indicator of edible chestnuts. However, if you want to find out in spring which tree in the area is an edible sweet chestnut, you should pay particular attention to the blossoms - hardly any other feature is so well suited for distinguishing between horse chestnuts andchestnuts. The horse chestnut bears striking, upright, white flower panicles, which make the tree particularly popular as an ornamental plant. The blossoms of the sweet chestnut, on the other hand, are very inconspicuous and strongly reminiscent of willow catkins. The flowering times of the two trees are also different: the inedible rust chestnut flowers from April to June, while the flowers of the edible sweet chestnut only appear between June and July.
In Germany, the chestnut is one of the most popular chestnut varieties, along with the sweet chestnut and the horse chestnut, because it is considered to be particularly tasty. But few know the difference between chestnuts and chestnuts.
What is the difference between chestnuts and chestnuts?
The well-known chestnuts are not an independent species, but a special breed of sweet chestnuts. They differ from these in particular by their significantly more aromatic taste and also by their larger and rounder fruits. In addition, chestnuts are easier to peel, which is why they are better suited for the kitchen. In this article you will find out which tricks are good for peeling chestnuts.