Horse Chestnut Tree Information
The horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastenum) is a member of the Buckeye family, but it is not a native species in North America, originating in the mountains of Greece and Albania. Horse chestnut makes a good shade tree and specimen plant for larger landscapes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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The typical horse chestnut needs plenty of room to expand because it can grow to 100 feet, although most are about 60 feet tall and just as wide. Horse chestnut becomes attractive in spring when in bloom with its showy white flowers. The nuts the tree produces come in a spiny brownish capsule that can be 2 to 2-1/2 inches wide.
Features
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The horse chestnut features a compound leaf, with usually seven leaflets as long as 10 inches radiating out on a large stem. The leaves start out light green, change to a darker shade and then often undergo scorching in the summer heat, winding up brown and blotchy before falling in autumn.
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Considerations
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You can plant a horse chestnut tree in many conditions. The tree tolerates city pollution, notes the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees." Horse chestnut will grow in full sun to its maximum potential, but the trade-off is that hot sites can cause the leaves to blight and turn brown nearly every year.
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