About Layeroka
A cross between European and Chinese chestnut trees, with both pollenizing catkins and fruiting flowers. The catkins do not have pollen, so another chestnut without Chinese heritage is required for nut production. As chestnuts are wind-pollinated, having the pollinating tree upwind will result in higher yields. Produces sweet nuts in three to six years. May have three or more nuts per burr.
A complex hybrid. It is said to be an open-pollinated seedling of C. mollissima ‘Skioka’ (Chinese) x C. sativa (European) with the other parent probably being C. crenata (Korean).
About Chestnut, Hybrid
Bright yellow flowers in late spring yield to large, sweet nuts encased in spine-covered tan husks. Chestnut trees were once an important part of the U.S. landscape, but they were all but wiped out by a disease in the first half of the 20th century. Years of breeding to bring back resistant trees are beginning to bear nuts. Two trees, planted in close proximity, required for pollenization.
