Horse Chestnut
Aesculus species (HIPPOCASTANACEAE)
Planting and Growing Horse Chestnut Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow horse chestnut trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and fruit of horse chestnut trees
- Growing conditions for horse chestnut
- When to plant horse chestnut
- How to plant horse chestnut
- How to prune horse chestnut
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of horse chestnut
- Landscape uses of horse chestnut
- Pest and disease control for horse chestnut
Growing Horse Chestnut Trees
About 13 species of medium-growing, upright, round-crowned, deciduous shrubs or trees, 15–100 ft. (4.5–30 m) tall, depending on species, with light to deep green, textured, pointed, toothed leaves, divided into 5- or 7-lobed fanlike leaflets, 8–12 in. (20–30 cm) long, on long leafstalks.
Horse Chestnut Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Abundant, fragrant, spikelike pink, red, white, yellow flowers, to 14 in. (36 cm) long, in spring, form ball-like, leathery fruit, to 3 in. (75 mm) wide, enclosing smooth seed and persisting into winter.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 3–9, depending on species.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich–average. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun. Space as recommended for species.
Proper Care
Easy–moderate. Allow soil surface to dry between waterings until established. Fertilize and prune sparingly. Protect from sun in hot climates. Propagate by budding, grafting, layering, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, shade in open landscapes, lawn. Flowers attract hummingbirds. In arid climates, leaves typically drop in late summer leaving bare limbs with distinctive fruit. Drops flowers, fruit, leaves, requiring maintenance. Invasive. Shallow rooted. Spider mite susceptible.
Warning:
Fruit and seed of Aesculus spp. are toxic with significant hazard for fatal consequences if eaten and are responsible for many poisonings of livestock, pets, and people each year. Avoid planting in areas frequented by pets or children.