Aesculus x carnea

Hayne

Red Horse chestnut, Pink Horse Chestnut

SapindaceaeSeeds/NutsPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Seeds

No details specific to this species are recorded, but the following almost certainly applies. The seed can be cooked, or dried, ground into a flour, and used as a gruel. It is about 20 mm in diameter and easy to harvest, but is rich in saponins that must be removed before eating. Based on practice documented for A. californica, one method involves slow-roasting the nuts (which renders the saponins harmless), slicing them thinly, placing them in a cloth bag, and rinsing in a stream for 2–5 days. Most minerals and other nutrients will also be lost during this process.

Known Hazards

The seed is rich in saponins. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. Dormant trees tolerate temperatures down to -15°C. It suits hardiness zones 6-9. Arboretum Tasmania.

Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Germany, North America, Tasmania,

Countries: Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Albania, Austria, Australia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Barbados, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahamas, Belarus, Belize, Canada, Switzerland, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Croatia, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, United States, St Vincent

How to Identify

A deciduous tree. It grows 20 m tall. The bark is reddish-brown. The leaves are divided like fingers on a hand into 5-7 lobes. These are long but fattened and have sharp teeth. The leaflets can be twisted. The leaves are 25 cm long. The flowers are creamy white with red blotches. They are in a spreading panicle. This can be 20 cm long. The fruit are fairly smooth and 4 cm across. The fruit contain up to 3 seeds.

How to Grow

Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy. The dormant tree tolerates temperatures down to at least -15°c, though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. It prefers a continental climate, growing best in eastern and south-eastern England. There are some named forms selected for their ornamental value. Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large. Abnormal cell development in this species may result in eruptions on trunks over 30cm in diameter - these ultimately decay. Although a hybrid species, it breeds true from seed due to a doubling of the chromosomes.

Propagation: Sow seed outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, as it germinates almost immediately and has very limited viability — it must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours before sowing, though even then germination cannot be guaranteed. Sow with the scar facing downward. Seedlings started in a cold frame should be potted up in early spring and planted out in summer. This species is a garden hybrid but breeds relatively true from seed.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is used in Bach flower remedies; the keywords for prescribing it are 'Excessive fear' and 'Anxiety for others'.

Other Uses

Saponins in the seed serve as a soap substitute. To extract them, chop the seed into small pieces and infuse in hot water; the liquid can be used to wash the body or clothes, though it leaves a lingering odour of horse chestnuts.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

A deciduous tree reaching 25 m tall at a slow growth rate. Hardy to UK zone 4 and not frost tender. Hermaphroditic flowers appear in July, with seeds ripening by September. Bee-pollinated. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline conditions. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and prefers consistently moist soil.

Notes

There are 15 Aesculus species.

Names & Synonyms

A cross between Aesculus hippocastanum & A. paviaAesculus rubicunda

References (9)

Coombes, A.J., 2000, Trees. Dorling Kindersley Handbooks. p 178
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 106
Dendrol. Fl. 43. 1822 (Guimpel et al., Abbild. fremd. Holzart. 25, t. 22. 1821?)
Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 78
Farrar, J.L., 1995, Trees of the Northern United States and Canada. Iowa State University press/Ames p 159
Joyce, D., 1998, The Garden Plant Selector. Ryland, Peters and Small. p 107
Lord, E.E., & Willis, J.H., 1999, Shrubs and Trees for Australian gardens. Lothian. p 46
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Ryan, S., 2008, Dicksonia. Rare Plants Manual. Hyland House. p 5