Castanea sativa

Castanea sativa Mill., Gard. Dict. ed. 8 1 1768. (Syn: Castanea castanea (L.) H.Karst. ; Castanea prolifera (K.Koch) Hickel; Castanea sativa f. discolor Vuk.; Castanea sativa var. hamulata A.Camus; Castanea sativa var. microcarpa Lavialle; Castanea sativa var. prolifera K.Koch; Castanea sativa var. spicata Husn.; Castanea vesca Gaertn.; Castanea vulgaris Lam. ; Fagus castanea L.; Fagus castanea var. variegata Weston; Fagus procera Salisb. );

Balkan Pen. to N. Iran as per WCSP;
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Fruits & Vegetables Week: Castanea sativa, the Chestnut: :
A temperate tree, but produce rarely seen in tropics as nuts turn rancid within few days and have short keeping quality. Here are my photographs from Kashmir and California.

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Castanea sativa : Sweet Chestnut : 171011 : AK-4::
Sweet Chestnut or Castanea sativa from Srinagar taken in Sept,11.

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Now I have to clarify a doubt.
We get Chestnuts here in Winter which are to be roasted and eaten.
I want to know if they are the same.

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Chestnuts sold in warm climate are generally water chesnut, whose floor is eaten during fasts. It is Trapa bispinosa in warm places and Trapa natans in cold places (including Kashmir). I hope you are talking about that only.

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These are known as Chestnuts and are available here in the Muscat Super markets during Winter months.
These are to be roasted and then eaten after removing the outer cover.
I will check their origin and let you know.

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It must be interesting to know how these chestnuts (this is Castanea sativa) reach muscat. Are they grown there?, in such hot climate or kept in cold storage. I have tried to bring them from Kashmir (of course in late summer) to Delhi, but they get spoilt within a week or so.

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They are definitely not grown here locally.
We get fruits from all over the world….US, Australia, Turkey, India, Kenya, South Africa, New Zealand and many other places.
For a short period in Winter they are available in supermarkets and also in dry fruit shops.
But you are right….they don’t stay for long.
While choosing you need to pick up the fresh light brown ones.
I just called a dry fruit vendor I know….he says Chestnuts come from New Zealand, Australia and Iran….places having cooler climate.

So your Kashmir fruits can be enjoyed here!
We do get Cherries from Kashmir during season here & Hazelnuts from Turkey.
In the elite supermarkets you find Blue Berries, Cranberries, etc

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Habitat: mountain slope
Habit: large shrub, about 4 – 5 m high; fruit about 2 inches across
… most probably planted.

Castanea sativa:  3 high res. images.
Habit:Large Tree. 

Yes C. sativa

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References:

The Plant List Ver. 1.1  WCSP  Flowers of India  Flickr: Search dinesh_valke’s photostream