HORSE CHESTNUT IS A COMMON NAME FOR A LARGE DECIDUOUS TREE, AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM. THE ONE I HAVE FOCUSED ON GROWS IN PLATT FIELDS PARK WHERE I HAVE OBSERVED THE TYPE OF SOIL, HEALTH OF THE TREE AND GENERAL FEATURES. HORSE CHESTNUTS HAVE COMPOUND LEAVES WITH 5-7 LEAFLETS; THEY ARE VERY EASY TO RECOGNISE. HORSE CHESTNUT BELONGS TO A VERY TALL TREES AS IT REACHES UP TO 37 METERS AS THE LAST PHOTOGRAPH ON THE RIGHT SHOWS.
THIS PARTICULAR TREE HAD A DISEASE CALLED BLEEDING CONKER WHICH IS VERY POPULAR AMONG THAT SPECIES. THE DISEASE CAUSES THE BARK TO CRACK, RELEASING RESIN, WHICH CAN HAVE FATAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE TREE. THIS CONKER'S SOIL LOOKED RELATIVELY HEALTHY, USUALLY THE GROUND IS QUITE BEATEN BY PEOPLE WALKING BY AND IS ALMOST LIKE A CONCRETE BUT HERE IT WAS OVERGROWN BY THE GRASS.
FROM MY OBSERVATIONS THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF CONKERS UNDER THE TREE WHICH CAN MEAN EITHER THAT THE TREE IS VERY ILL, BUT THAT USUALLY FOLLOWS THE LACK OF LEAVES, OR IT ALREADY LOST MOST OF THEM. CONKERS HAVE A FUNCTION OF PROTECTING THE SEED INSIDE AND AS IT COMES TO ITS MATURITY, THE SHELL BREAKS. YOUNG SEEDS ARE VERY SOFT AND WHITE, WHEREAS AS THEY GROW, THEY BECOME DARK BROWN WITH A BRIGHT SPOT. THE PHOTOGRAPH ON TH BOTTOM LEFT SHOWS HORSE CHESTNUT BUDS. THEY HAVE QUITE DARK COLOUR AND GROW RIGHT NEXT TO THE STEM OF A LEAF.
THE NAME HORSE CHESTNUT ORIGINATES FROM THE BELIEF THAT EATING THE FRUIT CURED HORSES OF CHEST COMPLAINS, DESPITE THAT, THE PLANT WAS POISONOUS TO HORSES.
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