This historic Chestnut tree is located in the grounds of The Elms Mission House at 15 Mission Street on the northern point of the Te Papa Peninsula, Tauranga. The tree is listed as T230 in the Tauranga City Council, City Plan, Notable Tree Register

The presence of the tree is not mentioned in historical records of the site (Maxwell 1978), however examination of photos from the early 1900’s reveals that the tree was a very similar shape and size then to what it is now. One is lead to the conclusion that; for it to be of that size and maturity in the early 1900’s, the tree must have been planted between 1838 and 1865 and probably by the Reverend Brown in the earlier portion of this range (Sale, P.O. 2004)

This tree although overlooked in other written works on the history of the garden, it is considered a very important tree to the garden.

Since 2004 several smaller trees around this tree and a large black walnut to the east; that were suppressing and crowding this tree, have been removed to open the area up and create space around this chestnut tree.

It is a large mature specimen with several stems arising from the ground to form a broadly spreading crown.

There was another much larger chestnut tree on one of the other Mission Street properties across the road from The Elms (John Meehan, 2012). The tree was removed around 1992 and it is likely that this tree was from the same era.

The property has several historic trees. See group listing BPR/G1062 for more information on the history of the site (Sale. PO, 2013).

References;
Maxwell, D. The Garden Book, 1978. The Elms Trust Library.
Tauranga Library records, photo's 99-1117, TCC-NZ room.
Sale.P.O. October 2004. An Arboricultural Impact & Evaluation Appraisal and Management Plan relating to: The Grounds of The Elms Mission House. A report prepared for The Elms Foundation.
John Meehan. Pers. comm., Dec, 2012.