Horse chestnut contains significant amounts of a poison called esculin and can cause death if eaten raw.

This majestic, deciduous tree is beautiful to look at, but may be undesirable for the landscape because of its unpleasant odor and litter issues. This plant has some cultivated varieties. The Native Horse Chestnut tree, Aesculus hippocastanum, is large and spreading, suitable only for parks and big gardens. The Red Horse Chestnut is a hybrid between the common horse chestnut and the red buckeye. ... Growth Rate This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12" to 24" per year. Red horsechestnut info recommends caution when using this plant in the landscape due to its rather messy, poisonous seed pods. Go to list of cultivars. Planting and caring for your Sweet Chestnut Tree. The tree usually develops leaf scorch in dry soil, and powdery mildew during the summer, causing leaves … Horse chestnut Description. The common name "horse-chestnut" (often unhyphenated) is reported as having originated from the erroneous belief that the tree was a kind of chestnut (though in fact only distantly related), together with the alleged observation that the fruit or seeds could help panting or coughing horses.. Distribution and habitat. The panicles of white flowers produced at the branch tips are the main ornamental feature of Horsechestnut. The growth rate is rapid while the tree is young but slows down with age. The crown is broad and symmetrical, making an excellent specimen or boulevard tree. Horse chestnut has been found to be susceptible to fungal diseases. It can often grow to 30m (100ft) with a rounded wide spreading head and trunks up to 5m (15ft) or more across. The European horse chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum, is the horse chestnut most frequently used in herbal medicine.It is a member of the Hippocastanaceae family. It can often grow to 30m (100ft) with a rounded wide spreading head and trunks up to 5m (15ft) or more across. Sun Preference Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. Carnea is more drought tolerant and more resistant to leaf scorch and mildew than the common horse chestnut, with a bit more rounded growth habit. Carnea is more drought tolerant and more resistant to leaf scorch and mildew than the common horse chestnut, with a bit more rounded growth habit. Using horse chestnut. The sweet, or Spanish, chestnut (Castanea sativa) is a large deciduous tree cultivated for millennia in southern Europe for its starchy edible nuts. The tree is easily transplanted and grows rapidly while young but slows down with age. Red horsechestnut (Aesculus x carnea) is a medium sized tree.It has an attractive, naturally pyramid-shaped form when young and glorious, large palmate leaves. Virtually destroyed by a bark fungus from the Orient in the early 1900’s, it was one of the largest ecological disasters in American history. Its seed, bark, flower, and leaves are used to make medicine. For those who know trees, the American Chestnut was a legend. The Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) is easy to transplant and establishes itself quickly in your yard. Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), which has similar nuts, but those of the sweet chestnut are smaller and found in clusters.