I felt excited and curious when I saw chestnut trees in Lyon for the first time. I remember walking through the big Parc de la Tête d'Or in the fall and noticing big, spiky green balls on the ground, and wondering what they were. Later, I learned that these funny green balls grow on chestnut trees. They help protect the chestnuts hiding inside. In France, people use these chestnuts to make a sweet food called crème de marron, or chestnut cream. It is smooth and sweet, like Nutella. People spread it on toast or use it in desserts. My favorite way to eat chestnut cream is mixed into yogurt.
The Doré de Lyon chestnut tree lives in France, especially around the city of Lyon. This is where the tree first came from. You might see the tree in orchards, parks or big gardens. It grows best in places with four seasons and lots of sunshine. The Doré de Lyon tree can grow in other countries too. But it would only grow there because people plant it and take care of it. The tree doesn’t spread to new places on its own.
The Doré de Lyon chestnut tree grows best in places with four seasons. Cold winters and warm summers help the tree grow strong and healthy. The tree also needs lots of sunshine and soil that is not too wet and not too dry. When the soil and sunlight are just right, the tree can grow leaves and make chestnuts. These conditions are common in the countryside near Lyon, where chestnut trees grow on farms and in orchards. A tree like this could even grow well in Oklahoma, because your state has four seasons too!
