Sweet chestnuts roasting on an open fire at Christmas, whilst in the kitchen preparations are under way in making chestnut stuffing.  A lovely thought, in late summer early autumn the chestnuts ripen to full size, some bursting out of the spiky cases. The chestnuts we buy in shops today are usually imported from France or Italy.  Most chestnut trees are now planted mainly for their decorative purposes either in parks or gardens. In July, catkins can be found on the tree. There are both male and female flowers, with there being fewer females on each catkin. The female flowers mature into spiny green fruit, which then produce 1-3 edible chestnuts. It grows well on light and acidic soils.