Katus (Indian chestnut)
Castanopsis indica
Small sweet nuts in fiercely spiny burs, roasted at Tihar; a pillar of the middle-hill forests.
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 80 ft tall, 40 ft wide
Harvest: October to December
From: Himalayan foothills to Southeast Asia
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, wildlife.
Native to: Himalaya & Indian hill country, South & Southeast Asian tropics. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.
The story
Katus is one of the trees that make up the middle-hill forests of Nepal. Its nuts are roasted and sold at Tihar, the festival of lights, and its leaves are stitched into plates for feasts.
Planting
Sun or part shade and deep, moist, acid soil in a warm temperate climate.
Growing
Water young trees. It coppices well and is cut for fodder and firewood.
Harvest and use
Small chestnuts in late autumn inside very spiny burs. Roast or boil them. Jays, squirrels and bears take their share.
What to watch for
The burs are needle-sharp; wear thick gloves. Frost when young.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home