Chestnut Hill Outdoors

What Chestnut Hill Outdoors does

Chestnut Hill Outdoors is a privately held, family-owned nursery and tree farm headquartered in Alachua, Florida, that supplies container-grown mast and fruit trees alongside pallet-sized bulk packages for wildlife habitat and food plot plantings. The company's flagship product is the Dunstan Chestnut, a proprietary blight-resistant hybrid developed by Dr. Robert T. Dunstan in the 1950s by crossing surviving American chestnuts with Chinese chestnut varieties; this cultivar holds U.S. Plant Patents and a trademark, making it the only chestnut ever to receive U.S. plant patent protection. The product portfolio spans approximately 168 SKUs across chestnut trees, persimmons, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, apples, mulberries, grapes, blackberries, figs, pomegranates, oaks, pollinator trees, and landscape ornamentals, plus accessories such as grow tubes, bamboo stakes, and weed mats. Trees are produced using air-pruning container technology that develops superior fibrous root systems compared to traditional bareroot field-grown stock.

The company operates a multi-channel go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (chestnuthilloutdoors.com), farm pick-up by appointment, and a wholesale program that requires a Florida resale certificate with 100-tree minimums for commercial orchards. Distribution also flows through national retail partners including Walmart and Rural King, plus regional co-op feed stores, supported by an interactive store locator with seasonal ship-date information. Pricing is transactional and unit-based, ranging from $24.95 for smaller mulberries to $108.95 for larger container-grown chestnut and persimmon trees, with discounted orchard starter kits (4-tree packages at $186.95-$269.96, 10-tree packages at $437.95-$648.95) and 50-tree pallets for restoration and commercial plantings. Shipping is seasonal, running January-April and September-November, and is restricted to most of the continental United States with 15 western states excluded due to climate and regulatory constraints.

Demand generation is anchored by a content-led Learning Center covering planting, fertilization, soils, watering, climate, and wildlife management, supplemented by a 'Dirt Wisdom' email newsletter and active Facebook and Instagram accounts. Customer segments include SMB hunters and wildlife managers (primary), homesteaders and home gardeners, commercial orchards and land developers, and landscape professionals. The business traces its lineage to a 1950s breeding program and was formalized as Chestnut Hill Nursery in 1981 by Bob (grandson of Dr. Dunstan) and Debbi Gaw; a sister operation, Chestnut Hill Nursery at chestnuthilltreefarm.com, extends the family's reach into broader fruit and flowering trees.

Name

Chestnut Hill Outdoors

Legal name

Chestnut Hill Outdoors

Website

https://www.chestnuthilloutdoors.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Chestnut Hill Outdoors is a family-owned Alachua, Florida nursery selling container-grown Dunstan Chestnut trees, fruit trees, and bulk pallets through DTC e-commerce, Walmart, Rural King, and co-op feed stores for hunters, landowners, and commercial orchard operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tree Nursery

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Nursery and Tree Production (111421)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tree Nut Orchards (Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, Pecans, Hazelnuts, Macadamias) (AFAGACAE), Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD), Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots) (AFAGACAC)

Keywords

• Container-grown trees
• Food plot trees
• Wildlife habitat plantings
• Chestnut hybrids
• Fruit tree nursery

Headquarters

HQ city

Alachua

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Tree Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of nursery trees including Dunstan Chestnuts, fruit trees, berry plants, oak trees, and landscape plants through e-commerce website and retail store distribution (Walmart, Rural King, co-op feed stores). Prices range from $24.95 to $108.95 per tree depending on species and size.
2. Bulk Tree Packages: Cost-effective bulk tree bundles for large-scale planting, restoration projects, and commercial orchards. Includes orchard starter kits (4-tree, 10-tree packages) and bulk pallets of 50 trees. Discounted pricing for volume purchases.
3. Planting Supplies: Sale of planting accessories including grow tubes ($6.15), bamboo stakes ($2.50), weed mats ($4.95), and Hydretain granular moisture retention products.
4. Wholesale Sales: Wholesale pricing for commercial landscape and nursery trade customers. Requires landscape or nursery business license and State of Florida resale tax certificate. Commercial orchards require minimum order of 100 trees. Non-propagation agreements may apply.
5. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates available for purchase on website for gifting to other landowners or wildlife enthusiasts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chestnut Hill Outdoors is a family-owned nursery based in Alachua, Florida that grows and sells container-grown mast, fruit, and ornamental trees for wildlife habitat and food plot establishment. Its flagship product is the proprietary Dunstan Chestnut, a blight-resistant hybrid developed by Dr. Robert T. Dunstan, alongside a broad catalog of fruit trees (persimmons, pears, peaches, plums, apples, mulberries, grapes, berries), oak and pollinator trees, and bulk pallet packages for orchards and restoration projects. Sales occur via direct e-commerce (seasonal mail-order), national retail (Walmart, Rural King, co-op feed stores), and wholesale to licensed commercial nurseries and landscape trade.

Product overview

Chestnut Hill Outdoors is a nursery and tree farm specializing in food plot trees and wildlife habitat enhancement. The core product is the proprietary Dunstan Chestnut™ Tree, a blight-resistant hybrid developed by Dr. Robert T. Dunstan. The portfolio includes a comprehensive range of fruit and nut trees (persimmons, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, apples, mulberries, grapes, blackberries, figs, pomegranates, bananas, paw paws, and more), oak trees, pollinator trees, and landscape trees. The company also offers bulk tree packages and bundles for large-scale plantings and orchards, along with planting supplies (grow tubes, weed mats, bamboo stakes, and soil moisture products). Products are sold both direct-to-consumer via their e-commerce site and through retail partners including Walmart, Rural King, and co-op feed stores nationwide. The business operates seasonally with spring (January-April) and fall (September-November) shipping, and operates from their Alachua, Florida farm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pollinator Trees Flowering trees sold to support bees, butterflies, and wildlife habitat improvement.
• Oak Trees Mast oak varieties including Pin, Sawtooth, Swamp Chestnut, Shumard, Overcup, Nuttall, Chinkapin, Swamp White, and White Oak for wildlife habitat and acorn production, priced $26.95 to $96.95.
• Dunstan Chestnut™ Tree The flagship blight-resistant hybrid chestnut tree, producing large, sweet nuts in 3-5 years. Cold hardy to USDA Zones 5-9, priced from $35.95 to $108.95 depending on size and container type. Targeted at hunters, landowners, and orchard operators seeking long-term mast production.
• Bulk Tree Pallets and Orchard Starter Kits
• Persimmon Paradise Combination Bundle of multiple persimmon tree varieties designed to extend fruit drop season for wildlife food plots, priced at $339.95.
• Persimmon Trees
• Pear Trees Pear tree varieties selected for southern low-chill climates and wildlife food production, including Kieffer, Orient, Pineapple, Bartlett, and others.
• Peach, Plum, and Nectarine Trees Low-chill peach, plum, and nectarine varieties adapted to southern U.S. climates for home orchards and wildlife food plots, priced $64.95 to $108.95.
• Apple Trees Apple tree varieties including low-chill southern types (Anna, Dorsett Golden) and standard varieties, for home orchard and wildlife use.
• Mulberry Trees Mulberry tree varieties (Black, Illinois Everbearing, Native Red, Pakistan, Everbearing) sold for wildlife food and edible landscaping, priced $24.95 to $106.95.
• Grape Vines Muscadine grape varieties bred for southern U.S. climates and wildlife food, priced $26.95 to $54.95.
• Blackberry Bushes Blackberry bush varieties (Freedom, Natchez, Traveler, Triple Crown, Ouachita, Von) for edible landscapes and wildlife food, priced $26.95 to $58.95.
• Other Fruit Trees (Figs, Pomegranates, Paw Paws, Bananas, Blueberries, Elderberry, Crabapple, Loquat, Strawberry Bush) Diverse edible fruit trees and shrubs including figs, pomegranates, paw paws, banana trees, blueberries, elderberry, crabapple, loquat, and strawberry bush for home orchards and edible landscaping.
• Landscape Trees Ornamental and shade trees including Red Cedar, Crape Myrtle, Holly, Sycamore, Bald Cypress, Redbud, Red Maple, Blackgum, and others for landscape plantings.
• Planting Supplies Tree planting accessories including Grow Tubes ($6.15), Bamboo Stakes ($2.50), Weed Mats ($4.95), and Hydretain Granular moisture retention product, sold alongside trees.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates sold on the company website, allowing recipients to select their own trees from the catalog.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-5 years to first nut harvest (vs. 10-20 years for oak trees)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, regional and core.

• WalmartmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational retail partner distributing Chestnut Hill Outdoors trees during spring and fall shipping seasons. Trees available at Walmart locations across the continental United States. Store locator available on website showing expected ship dates by location.
• Rural KingmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner distributing trees during seasonal shipping windows. Available at Rural King farm and home retail locations.
• Co-op Feed StoresregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional network of agricultural co-op and feed stores selling trees to local landowners and hunters. Lists updated on website with expected ship dates by location.
• Chestnut Hill Nursery (Sister Nursery)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister nursery operation (chestnuthilltreefarm.com) for additional fruit and flowering trees. Referenced on main website as resource for 'more trees' beyond the food plot focus.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stark Bro's Nurseries: Long-established mail-order fruit tree nursery selling a broad catalog of edible and ornamental trees via DTC and retail. Most directly comparable to Chestnut Hill's DTC, fruit-and-nut-tree, and multi-generational family-nursery positioning.
• Willis Orchard Company: Mail-order nursery specializing in fruit, nut, and berry trees for homeowners and small orchards. Direct overlap with Chestnut Hill's fruit/nut tree catalog and DTC shipping model.
• Nature Hills Nursery: Large online nursery selling trees, shrubs, and edible plants across the U.S. Comparable breadth of catalog and DTC e-commerce orientation, though broader in landscape and less specialized in food-plot wildlife.
• The Tree Center: Online-focused tree nursery offering fruit, nut, shade, and ornamental trees with national shipping. Closely comparable e-commerce-native, tree-only assortment and customer base.
• Ty Ty Plant Nursery: Mail-order nursery selling fruit trees, nut trees, berry plants, and ornamental trees with broad U.S. distribution. Direct overlap on nut trees (chestnuts, pecans, walnuts) and southern-adapted varieties.
• Bob Wells Nursery: Family-owned mail-order nursery specializing in fruit and nut trees for home orchards and homesteads. Comparable DTC, family-run, edible-tree positioning with southern U.S. orientation.
• Ison's Nursery & Vineyards: Mail-order nursery focused on muscadine grapes, fruit trees, and berry plants for southern U.S. growers. Direct overlap on the muscadine and southern-fruit tree categories that Chestnut Hill also carries.
• Plant Me Green: Online nursery selling southern-adapted fruit trees, berries, and edible landscaping plants. Comparable catalog mix and emphasis on low-chill, southern-climate varieties.
• Fast Growing Trees: Large online nursery specializing in fast-growing and privacy trees with national DTC shipping. Comparable e-commerce-led nursery model with broad U.S. reach, though oriented toward shade/ornamental rather than food-plot uses.

Others

• Arbor Day Foundation: Nonprofit running the largest U.S. tree-planting and reforestation program. Indirectly competitive for chestnut restoration demand and adjacent to the wildlife-habitat mission that drives Chestnut Hill's buyer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChestnutHillOutdoors
• Instagraminstagram.com/chestnuthilloutdoors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chestnut Hill Outdoors