Tree Species: Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

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Non-native. Native to the Balkans (northern Greece, Albania, and Bulgaria). Introduced to the UK in the 16th century and now widespread in parks, avenues, and estates.

Deciduous – loses its leaves in autumn.

Leaves: Large, palmate (hand-shaped) with 5–7 broad leaflets radiating from a central stalk. Leaflets are oblong, with serrated edges and prominent veins.

Bark: Grey-brown, smooth when young, becoming scaly and fissured with age.

Flowers/Fruit/Seeds: Upright, cone-shaped clusters of white flowers with yellow and red markings, appearing in May (“candles”). Produces large, spiky green capsules that split open to reveal glossy brown seeds – the well-known conkers.

Overall shape: A tall, broad-crowned tree with a spreading dome and stout trunk.

17–22 m tall; crown spread often 15–20 m.

Now common across the UK in parks, streets, estates, and woodlands. Grows well in deep, fertile soils but is not tolerant of very dry, compacted, or polluted sites.

Huge palmate leaves with 5–7 leaflets.

Upright white flower “candles” in May.

Large spiky fruits containing conkers.

Spring: Striking white flower candles.

Summer: Dense green foliage forming deep shade.

Autumn: Leaves yellow-brown before falling; conkers drop from spiky cases.

Winter: Bare branches, stout twigs, sticky buds prominent.

Conkers used in the traditional children’s game.

Seeds contain aesculin, toxic if eaten raw, but historically used in horse medicine (hence the name).

Extracts used in herbal remedies for circulation issues.

Timber soft and not durable; used for carving and low-value joinery.

Flowers rich in nectar, attracting bees, especially in May.

Conkers mostly inedible to native wildlife, though deer and some rodents occasionally eat them.

Dense canopy provides shade and nesting sites for birds.

Increasingly affected by leaf-mining moth (Cameraria ohridella), which browns leaves in summer.

The conker game was so popular that in the 20th century, the British Conker Championships became a national event.

The tree was introduced to Britain in the late 1500s and rapidly became a favourite for ornamental planting.

Best time to plant: Late autumn or early spring.

Soil: Prefers deep, moist, well-drained soils; tolerates clay, loam, and sandy soils; dislikes very poor, dry ground.

Light: Best in full sun; tolerates partial shade.

Watering: Water regularly until established; reasonably drought-tolerant afterwards.

Spacing: Allow 10–15 m between trees to accommodate the crown.

Aftercare: Mulch around base to conserve moisture. Protect from deer/rabbit browsing when young. Requires little pruning beyond removal of deadwood.

Urban: Attractive in parks and wide streets, but less suited to modern city planting due to large size and vulnerability to pests/diseases (leaf miner, bleeding canker).

Garden: Suitable only for very large gardens, estates, or parkland. Not recommended for small gardens due to scale and heavy leaf/fruit fall.