Aesculus × carnea
| Aesculus × carnea | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 82' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Aesculus × carnea (common name: red horse chestnut)
Propagation: Seed - best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[1][2]. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather[3]. The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable[2][4]. It is best to sow the seed with its 'scar' downwards[3]. If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. This species is a garden hybrid though it breeds relatively true from seed[5].
Cultivation: Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy[6][1].
The dormant tree tolerates temperatures down to at least -15°c[5], 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[5].
There are some named forms selected for their ornamental value[1][5].
Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large[1].
Abnormal cell development in this species may result in eruptions on trunks over 30cm in diameter - these ultimately decay[5].
Although a hybrid species, it breeds true from seed due to a doubling of the chromosomes[1][7].
Range: A cultivated hybrid of garden origin, A. hippocastanum x A. pavia.
Habitat: Not known in the wild.
Edibility: We have no details for this species, but the following notes almost certainly apply to it.
Seed - cooked. It can be dried, ground into a flour and used as a gruel. The seed is quite large, about 20mm in diameter, and is also easily harvested. Unfortunately, it is rich in saponins and these toxins need to be removed before the seed can be eaten. See also the notes above on toxicity.
The following notes apply to A. californica, but are probably also relevant here:-
The seed needs to be leached of toxins before it becomes safe to eat - the Indians would do this by slow-roasting the nuts (which would have rendered the saponins harmless) and then cutting them into thin slices, putting them into a cloth bag and rinsing them in a stream for 2 - 5 days[8]. Most of the minerals etc would also have been leached out by this treatment[K].
Medicinal: The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Excessive fear' and 'Anxiety for others'[9].
Usage: Saponins in the seed are a soap substitute[10]. The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water. This water can then be used for washing the body, clothes etc. Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts[K].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The seed is rich in saponins[10]. 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 careful
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 McMillan-Browse, Philip. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books, 1985.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Royal Horticultural Society. The Plantsman Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society, 1982.
- ↑ Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Weiner, Michael. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books, 1980.
- ↑ Chancellor, Philip. Illustrated Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies. C W Daniel, 1985.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Buchanan, Rita. A Weavers Garden.