Horse Chestnut – Identification

Q: We were in Munich in April and were greeted by thousands of blooming chestnut trees. They looked exactly like the horsechestnut trees I remember from New York. What is preventing these trees from flourishing in the USA?

A: The trees you saw were probably sweet chestnut, Castanea sativa. American chestnut, of which few remain, is Castanea dentata. My guess is that summer heat and perhaps chestnut blight serve to limit horse chestnut survival in Georgia. Order one online and tell me how it grows after you plant it.