Did you guess which area on Earth is best for growing Hybrid American Chestnuts, surely the “Hardness” map was a strong enough hint? Still, if you guessed the United States, you were right. 

Yep, the US grows about 3.5 million pounds of Hybrid Chestnut tree nuts every year and imports more than 4.5 million pounds of other strains. Point being, US Growers cannot meet the US demand!

And another thing, most folks are surprised to learn that the original 1800s era American Chestnut tree still exists in pockets in the blight-free West, at least in areas where the habitat (soil, climate, etc) is agreeable for planting.  You see, settlers took seeds with them during the 19^th century’s western migration. For example, huge planted chestnut trees can be found in Sherwood, Oregon!