Sweet chestnuts (Castanea sativa) are thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans. They made a porridge of the ground nuts and milk called polenta. However, the nuts must have been imported because only the hottest British summers allow them to grow large enough to eat. Most of the sweet chestnut trees we see today were planted for decorative reasons. But can that be true in Herefordshire where they are extremely common? Regardless of why they were planted they do offer a colourful autumn spectacle, the leaves showing green, brown/orange and yellow simultaneouly, much like the beech.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2
