The Horsechestnut

The Horsechestnut (Æsculus hippocastanum)

Distinguishing characters: The sticky nature of the terminal bud and its large size (about an inch long). The bud is dark brown in color.

Leaf: Five to seven leaflets, usually seven. 

Form and size: Medium-sized tree, pyramidal head and coarse twigs.

Range: Europe and eastern United States.

Soil and location: Prefers a deep, rich soil.

Enemies: The leaves are the favorite food of caterpillars and are subject to a blight which turns them brown prematurely. The trunk is often attacked by a disease which causes the flow of a slimy substance.

Value for planting: On account of its showy flowers, the horsechestnut is a favorite for the park and lawn.

Commercial value: The wood is not durable and is not used commercially.

Other characters: The flowers appear in large white clusters in May and June. The fruit is large, round, and prickly.

Fig. 21.—Leaf of the Horsechestnut.

Comparisons: The red horsechestnut differs from this tree in having red flowers. The buckeye is similar to the horsechestnut, but its bud is not sticky and is of a lighter gray color, while the leaf generally has only five leaflets.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 10:47 pm and is filed under How To Identify Trees. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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