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Red horse chestnut

A version of the horse chestnut which has reddy-pink flowers instead of the usual white.

What other names does it have?

Generic name	Horse Chestnut
Latin name	Aesculus x carnea
Family name	Horse Chestnut
Latin family name	Hippocastanaceae

What type of tree is it?

Is it a broadleaf or conifer?	It is a broadleaf
Does it lose its leaves in autumn?	Yes, it is deciduous

Species description:

Average height	Rarely grows to 20m high

Leaf

Description	Slightly glossy, but crumpled. Usually 5 leaflets but there can be 6 or 7. Leaflets are jaggedly toothed/serrated.
Shape	Palmate
Colour	Dark green
Leaf bud	Greyish in colour and only slightly tacky to touch
Leaf stalk	Long stalk
Leaf arrangement	Opposite

Flower, seed, and fruit

Type of flower	Multiple flowers in spike
Flower size	The flower spike is 12-20cm tall with the indivicual flowers much smaller
Fruit colour	Orangey-brown husks containing a rich brown conker
Fruit season	Late summer-early autumn
Type of seed body	Nut
Seeds dispersed by	Wildlife

Bark and twig

Bark description	Smooth when young and later developing ridges and numerous cankers and burrs

What other trees are similar?

Can easily be confused with?	Horse-chestnut- which has white flowers and larger leaves

Where is it usually found?

Is it native or non-native to the British Isles?	Non-native - introduced
Where is its natural range?	This tree was horticulturally created and as such has no natural range
Preferred soil type or environmental conditions?	Tolerates a range of conditions
What is its British conservation status?	Common

Additional information

Human uses of tree and timber	Occasionaly planted in parks and gardens for its red flowers

Tree shape

Leaf shape

Fruit - has a few spines

The bark

Illustrations supplied by
Collins

BritishTrees

©2012 The Woodland Trust