Scientific Name:
Aesculus hippocastanum
Pronunciation:
ESS-kew-lus hip-oh-kass-TAY-num
Common Name:
common horse chestnut
Family Name:
Sapindaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves large, palmately compound, petioles 8-20cm long; leaflets 5-7, obovate, of varying sizes with the largest central one 20-28cm long x 10-15cm wide; thyrse 10-20(-30)cm long x 6-13cm wide, flowers with 4 or 5 petals, white with pink markings; capsules, rounded, 2.5-6cm wide, with curved prickles 4-8mm long, splits along 3 carpel lines to release single glossy dark brown seed. Winter ID: fallen fruit parts; buds opposite, ovoid, large (2cm), brown and sticky; leaf scar large, with 7 distinct bundle scars.
Habit:
Open, Upright
Form:
Round
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
22 - 30m
Mature Spread:
15 - 25m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Specimen plant, Spring interest
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Heavily veined, Palmate venation
Surfaces:
Pubescent
Compound Leaf:
Digitate (palmate)
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Brown
Shapes:
Oblanceolate, Obovate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Double serrate
Additional Info:
leaflets 13 - 30cm long
Inflorescence Type:
Thyrse, Floriferous, Panicle-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
4
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Additional Info:
20 to 50 florets per panicle (actually a thyrse because the branches are cymose)
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Green, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Showy, only 1 to 5 develop per panicle; spiny and nut-like but splits along carpel lines to release a single (rarely 2 or 3) seed which is poisonous
Bark Morphology:
Plated
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Brown
Leaf Bud Type:
Ovoid
Leaf Scar Shape:
U-shaped
Propagation:
Seed
Maintenance:
High
Pest Susceptibility:
Anthracnose, Fungal leaf spot, Heteroptera - true bugs, Leaf scorch (Deer resistant, Drought tolerant)
Specific Pests:
Course(s):
- AARB 1012
- CLT Training
- HORT 1155
- Level 1 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
- (BCW) Boulevard (Circular) Westend : 287, 288, 289, 290
- (BGR) Boulevard by Glover Road : 291, 292
- (NRY) NuRserY : 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, 580, 587
- (QRR) Quercus Robur Row planting : 135, 136