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Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
A deciduous tree from the Horsechestnut Family (Hippocastanaceae)
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4-7
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60'
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60'
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medium
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full sun to part shade
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bold year-round texture
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moist, well-drained soils of variable pH - rich and deep
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 Horsechestnut, a tree native to parts of southern Europe and southern Asia, is widely planted throughout Europe and Britian as a shade tree that flowers magnificently in spring. In Ohio, it is found in urban areas that can afford its need for ample growing space, such as the grounds of estates, large buildings, parks, cemeteries, and arboreta. Nuts of Horsechestnut are larger than those of the closely related Buckeyes, but are duller brown and not shiny. Trees found in the open may reach 60 feet tall by 60 feet wide and have a bold year-round texture. As a member of the Horsechestnut Family, it is related to other Horsechestnuts and Buckeyes, including man-made hybrids between the species.
Planting Requirements - Horsechestnut is very adaptable to a wide range of favorable or harsh environmental conditions. It prefers moist, well-drained soils of variable pH that are rich and deep, under sunny conditions. It adapts to average or poor soils that are dry in summer, but moderate to heavy leaf scorch will develop by mid-summer when this occurs, especially when the tree is sited in full sun. Horsechestnut grows in full sun to partial sun, and is found in zones 4 to 7.
Potential Problems - Horsechestnut often suffers from leaf blotch, leaf scorch, and powdery mildew on its foliage, which also plagues the closely related Ohio Buckeye (but not Yellow Buckeye). Horsechestnut should be planted in full sun for best floral and nut production, but its foliage will look much better in summer with supplemental irrigation.
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Leaf Identification Features
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 Horsechestnut has large, opposite, palmately compound leaves that are clean and medium green in spring.
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 Each leaf has seven leaflets, and each leaflet is obovate (widest in its upper half near the apex), with a very short blunt tip. In addition, the leaflets are fused at their bases at the top of the thick petiole. Unfortunately, leaves of Horsechestnut are very prone to scorching and foliar diseases by mid-summer, as are the leaves of Ohio Buckeye. As a result, Horsechestnut often has a brown, deathly appearance to its canopy by mid-summer, and may be nearly defoliated by late summer.
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Other Identification Features
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The flowers of Horsechestnut are in full bloom after the leaves have fully expanded in mid-spring, and stand stiffly upright or slightly angled against the contrast of the green canopy . Since the flowers are both large and creamy white, they are easily seen from a distance. |
The fruits of Horsechestnut are composed of one or two seeds (or nuts) enclosed in a spiny brown husk. Fruits may occur singly or in clusters, and are the largest of all types of Horsechestnuts and Buckeyes. |
The dormant buds of Horsechestnut are among the largest in size of any tree. Their large, shiny, and sticky character in winter easily distinguishes them from all other trees, except for hybrids formed with other members of the genus Aesculus, which may have similar-looking buds. |
The bark of Horsechestnut becomes broken into fissures and thick plates with maturity. In addition, this tree frequently has a divided trunk at a low height, giving it several huge branches that contribute to its dense canopy. |
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