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Chrysolepis chrysophylla
Also called Golden Chinkapin, Western Chinkapin, Giant Golden Chinkapin, Golden Chestnut, Golden Chinquapin
Golden chinquapin is an evergreen shrub or tree native to the Pacific coast of the western US, known for leathery dark green leaves with golden-fuzzy undersides. It is best grown in well-drained, sheltered sites where it can develop as a tree, while shrubby forms tolerate drier, exposed conditions.
Chrysolepis chrysophylla, commonly known as golden chinquapin or giant chinquapin (also spelled chinkapin), is a species of evergreen shrub or tree in the beech family. It is native to California, Oregon and Washington. The species has dark green leathery leaves, with distinct golden-yellow fuzzy undersides and produces small nuts which are protected by conspicuous spiny burs. It may become a large tree on favorable sites, but often remains small and shrubby on exposed, rocky, dry or high elevation places.
Chrysolepis chrysophylla is endemic to the Pacific coast of the United States, growing from extreme southern Washington through western Oregon, south to west-central California, with a disjunct population documented in El Dorado county. It grows in climax forests dominated by redwood, white fir, western hemlock, and Shasta red fir, or mixes of tree types. It may be an understory shrub, or it may codominate the canopy as a tree. Habitat types where the tree may be found include coastal forests, woodlands, and chaparral. In the western Cascade Mountains it grows in western hemlock forests. In the southern Cascades it grows at higher elevations but takes on a smaller, shrubbier form. It can be found growing up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level.
The tree has a heavy, strong wood which is light brown with a pinkish tinge. It rarely grows in large enough quantities to serve commercial purposes.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Chrysolepis chrysophylla by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
