I’m way overdue for a tree of the month selection! This month I picked red horse chestnut, Aseculus x carnea ‘Briotti’. I actually haven’t seen this tree in bloom before and I think it’s quite exotic looking for New England. This is probably as close as we in the Northeast will be able to get to crape myrtles, the ubiquitous blossoming tree seen so often in street plantings and mall parking lots in the South.
The red horse chestnut is a hybrid of common horse chestnut A. hippocastanum and red buckeye A. pavia, cultivated for garden use. It’s a deciduous tree that grows to 30-40 feet tall upon maturity. Its pinkish or red blossoms bloom in the spring. It likes full sun or light shade and moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils.
I don’t know if Bach Flower Remedies work or not–they’re the company that make Rescue Remedy among many other “flower essences” used for various psychological ailments. One of the 38 essences is made of red horse chestnut. According to their website, it’s supposed to be good for those who “find it difficult not to be anxious for other people.”
Well, I certainly hope the flower essence is based on the flower not the nut, because the nut is supposed to be poisonous. It contains saponins, which is toxic to many animals, including humans, though to a lesser extent. Supposedly if you cut up the nut into small pieces or grind them into flour, you can leach the poison out by rinsing it several times and pouring the water out, but I won’t be the one testing out that theory.
The nuts look like a bit like a regular chestnut and are surrounded by a thick hull. They’re sometimes called conkers. It’s easy to see why–a falling one would probably conk you out. For that reason, this would probably be an ill-chosen street tree. In parts of the UK, children play a game, also called “conkers,” with the nuts–maybe they throw them at one another.
Whenever I pick a tree of the month, I try to pick one that has multiple uses. Buuuuut, I freely admit that I picked red horse chestnut just because it’s pretty!
Blossom and nut photos courtesy of Wikipedia.
Hello
Nice to see you back again.
I thought I’d enlighten you about conkers. We all-as kids- play this during the Autumn, we don’t throw them at each other though!
Here’s an explantation
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/conkers.html
Best wishes
Richard
Hello! Here is still another mention of this glorious tree:
http://floralacupuncture.com/testimonials/redchestnut.html
I remember a show stopping specimen outside of Sonoma Valley Gardens in CA. Huge candelabra shape and huge red blossoms. When the tree is in bloom, I think the employees must feel like broken records saying over and over “It’s a red horse chestnut!!” to all who asked about it.
Thanks for the good post about a great tree. Bonnie
I love your selection Caroline. I hadn’t known about this one before. I’m familiar with the common horse chestnut and love that tree very much so this was of definite interest. I have used and know many people who use the Bach Remedies, mostly for dogs but some people use it too. It’s a mild tincture though many have results.
Very interesting post!
Diane
What a gorgeous tree Caroline and interesting re: the flower remedies. I’ve used some of these (remedies) in the past but not this particular one. Good to know about the warning.
Love your ‘believe’ logo on your sidebar. Good to see a new post at EFG. G
PS: I had previous clicked the Believe logo and nothing happened, today it did. Sounds like a person (Obama) that can be believed in, let’s hope eh? G
Hi Richard, thanks for the info! I can’t wait to say “Oddly oddly onker my first conker” later this season.
Hi Bonnie, I know what you mean. Thank heavens the tree had a tag on it or I would’ve had to track down somebody in the Parks Dept to find out what it was! It was the kind of tree I HAD to know about.
Hi Dianne, I wonder if the healing in Bach Remedies is due to the brandy. Who needs flower essences when there’s brandy involved?
Hi G., thanks for coming by. Indeed, I’m keeping my hopes up these days, you too I trust.
It’s a beautiful three… How big is i gonna be?
Hi JOe, this tree will usually be between 30-40 feet tall. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I am wondering where I might purchase the Red Horse Chestnut. All I can find is the Red Buckeye and I would rather have Aesculus X Carnea due to its extended height.
Any help would be great!
Thanks!
-Lane
try Forest Farm
We grow Briotti Red Horsechestnut in a 10 gallon container. My question: have you ever found variance of flower color from year to year? We are seeing our crops have more cream color this year and are wondering if it could be weather, fertilizer, or something else.
I wonder if it has to do with how you propagate it? I’m not sure if it comes true from seed or from cutting???
I have a two year old red horse chestnut tree puarchased from a nursery
it’s leaves are very very healthy except it does not bloom.
this is now the second spring for it in the ground…
Why is this is it too young?
Thanks