Chestnut

Scientific name: Castanea sativa
Common name: Chestnut

Chestnut is one of the most important forest species in Southern Europe. A majestic tree of the Fagaceae, it produces one of the most beloved autumn fruits. Under optimal conditions, it develops a large columnar stem with smooth, glossy, dark-colored bark. In contrast, the bark of the branches is white. The saw-shaped leaves are up to 20-22 cm long and up to 10 cm wide. The flowers are pale and wrapped in an involucre called a dome. The fruit is an achene, what we call a chestnut, and is found in a spiny shell, the husk. When ripe, it opens by splitting open into quarters.

There are records of the chestnut tree as early as the writings of Homer, as well as Galen, Martial, Virgil and Pliny. He reports how chestnuts were roasted and ground to be then used as flour. This special flour made the bread ate by the priestesses of the cult of Cybele, the goddess of the Earth. Later, we find the chestnut tree in the novellas of Giovanni Boccaccio's "Decameron". There were so many writers and poets who were enchanted by the grandeur of this tree that they left traces of it in their writings. Examples include "The Confessions of an Italian" by Ippolito Nievo and "Piedmont" by Giosuè Carducci.

Chestnut leaves contain high percentages of gallic and helleagic acids, combined with quercetin. Among its most important virtues are expectorant, sedative and antiseptic. Therefore, excellent in coughs, colds and respiratory tract infections. According to some authors they are also effective in convulsive coughs such as those typical of whooping cough.