Chestnut Pollination time in Kentucky and Tennessee  
(June 2006)

Glen Christman, the "gentle arborist," climbs and pollinates a fairly large blight-free American chestnut at Land Between the Lakes (Trigg County, Kentucky).  (Photos by Joe Schibig)

Glen goes up another chestnut mother tree in Jackson County, Tennessee
(Photo by Joe Schibig)

Another expert arborist, Scott Winningham, ascends and pollinates a nice chestnut tree in Smith County, Tennessee.
Despite the searing heat and bee stings, Scott managed to reach and pollinate about 50 female flowers.
(Photos by Joe Schibig)

Lloyd and Jeramie pollinate a chestnut tree in Macon County, Tenneseee, from Rickie Brandon's
bucket truck. (Photos by Joe Schibig)

Joe, Lloyd, Jeramie, and Anne by Rickie's American chestnut

Expert arborist, Scott Winningham, climbs and pollinates the new Coffee County American chestnut mother tree.
(Photos by Clint Neel)

A bagged mother tree is a thing of beauty.
(Photos by Shannon Cagle and Clint Neel)
 

Clint applies hybrid pollen to the Cannon County mother tree.

Clint soars to heights that make eagles dizzy.

Gene Roberson bulldozes a road to the new Cannon County mother tree.

From the left, Hill, Shannon, and Mike get ready to pollinate the biggest American chestnut
in the southeastern U. S.--the Adair County tree in south central Kentucky.
(Photo by Joe Schibig)

Joe and Lloyd place an assortment of pollens on the female flowers.
(Photo by Rickie Brandon)

Mike goes to the top of the Adair County tree.
(Photo by Joe Schibig)

Eight people applied various pollens to the Adair County tree on June 26, 2006.
(Photo by Hill Craddock)

The Adair County  tree  probably produces more flowers and nuts
than any other American chestnut in the eastern United States.

Hill Craddock looks down on a bagged American chestnut tree in Cherokee National Forest, Monroe
County, TN.  These mountain trees tend to bloom later than the Highland Rim trees. (Photo by Hill Craddock)

Sam McInturff, below, has recently located several promising chestnut mother trees in the
Cherokee National Forest (Monroe and Polk Counties, TN).  (Photo by Hill Craddock)

One tree's death is another tree's new lease on life--the death of overtopping pines from beetle attack has
provided more sunlight which has stimulated this American chestnut tree to flower. (Photo from Hill Craddock)

Had the female flowers of these two American chestnut trees not been bagged, they would have pollinated
 each other via wind and insects and produced nuts naturally--a very rare event these days. (Photo by Hill Craddock)

White styles (pollen-receiving structures) poke from the tips of American chestnut female flowers
(miniature burs) while long male flowers (catkins) are loaded with pollen-producing anthers. 
(Photo by Hill Craddock)

Resurrecting the American chestnut                                                                                                                TN-TACF homepage