Chestnut

Kingdom	Plantae
Unranked	Angiosperms
Unranked	Eudicots
Order	Sapindales
Family	Sapindaceae
Genus	Aesculus
Species	A. hippocastanum
Binomial name	Aesculus hippocastanum

Other Common Names:

The other common names for the tree are conker tree, Spanish chestnut, bongay, Chestnut, robkastanie, marronier d'Inde and buckeyes.

History

Horse chestnut was first documented as a medicinal plant in 1565, in Pierandrea Matthioli's translation of Dioscorides' Materia Medica. American Indians of the Northeast used a snuff made from horse chestnuts to relieve cold symptoms and carried the nuts to ward off rheumatism.

The crushed unripe seeds of the buckeye were scattered into streams to stupefy fish, making the fish easier to catch. Horse chestnut is one of the easiest British trees to identify and its leaves are often the earliest to appear. They are preceded by the famous 'sticky buds', and soon open to form the familiar five to seven-fingered leaflets on a stiff green stem. It has been planted so extensively in communities that it is the "Buckeye" with which many people are most familiar. The tree grows well in these urban conditions.

Description

It is a medium to large deciduous tree that typically grows 50-75' tall with an upright oval-rounded crown. The leaves are opposite, palmately compound leaf with usually 7, obovate, serrate leaflets (4 to 6 inches long), dark green above and paler below, petioles as long as leaflets. Leaves mature to dark green in summer. Fall color usually consists of undistinguished shades of yellow and brown. The tree produces an abundant show of upright white flower spikes that are arranged round the canopy like candles.

Showy white flowers with red or yellow markings appear in upright terminal panicles in mid-spring . Fruit is a globular dehiscent capsule consisting of 1-2 horsechestnut(s) encased by a leathery light brown husk covered with sharp spines. Fruit on the tree is interesting but not particularly ornamental. When ripe, each horsechestnut turns a handsome shiny dark mahogany brown with a round light tan scar. The twigs are stout, with a large shield-shaped leaf scar; terminal buds are large, shiny, sticky and reddish brown, lateral buds are much smaller. The bark is light to dark brownish grey, developing irregular scaly, rough ridges.

Range

Horse chestnuts are a native of Greece and the Balkans, but have been introduced to many temperate countries around the world. In the UK, it occurs virtually everywhere except the Scottish Grampian regions and the extreme northwest mainland and islands.

Habitat

Horse chestnut can be found in parks, large gardens and estates, but it also occurs in the wild as a naturalised tree on various habitat types, ranging from damp fens and woods to upland road verges.

Cultivation

A horse chestnut tree is generally raised from the nuts. Horse chestnut nuts (no comment) should be preserved in sand during the winter, as they may become moldy and rot. If steeped in water, they will germinate more quickly. Horse chestnut will grow a foot the first summer and require little care. Horse chestnut thrives in most soils and situations, but does best in a good, sandy loam. Seed are best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather. The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable. It is best to sow the seed with its 'scar' downwards. If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Horse chestnut bark and seeds are collected in autumn. Horse chestnut bark is stripped in the spring and dried in the sun, or by slight artificial heat. Horse chestnut bark is odourless, but has a bitter astringent taste..

Flowering Season

The Horse Chestnut produces showy white flowers in early summer (12 inches in height) followed by their infamous spiky green fruit in autumn.

Pests and Diseases

Canker, coral spot, leaf blight and scale insects. Leaf blotch can be a significant problem. Powdery mildew and anthracnose are also frequent problems. Watch for bagworms, Japanese beetles and borers are infrequent but potentially troublesome. Leaf scorch (brown edges) may occur in droughty conditions or on sites exposed to wind.

Parts Used

The most commonly used parts of the tree are the bark which is collected in autumn and preference is given to the bark from the younger branches.

Medicinal Applications

• The seed extract has also been used for hemorrhoids.

• Horse chestnut has been used for swelling and pain due to varicose veins and chronic circulation problems.

• It has also been used for reducing the swelling of hemorrhoids or veins (phlebitis).

• Horse chestnut seed extract has been used to treat chronic venous insufficiency like varicose veins, pain, ankle swelling, feelings of heaviness, itching, and night time leg cramping.

• Japanese scientists found that horse chestnut having sufficient antioxidant activity to have potential against wrinkles.

• Soothing and astringent salves containing horse chestnut and these other herbs can be mixed for use.

• It is used in treating arthritis, neuralgia, hemorrhoids, and reduction of edema caused by trauma or surgery.

• Horse chestnut stimulates circulation.

• A decoction of horse chestnut leaves has been given for whooping cough.

• Poultices of the seeds were used topically to treat skin ulcers and skin cancer.

• The topical preparation was also used to treat phlebitis.

Commercial Applications

• Saponins in the seed are used as a soap substitute.

• The wood of this tree is used by woodcarvers and turners.

• A yellow dye is obtained from the bark is of commercial importance.

• It has been widely planted in the Midwest as a street and shade tree.

• A starch obtained from the seed is used in laundering.

• The wood is used for furniture, boxes, charcoal.