Aesculus hippocatanum
Owner: Russell Hollet
Nominator: Russell Hollet
Height: 20.5 m (67.3 ft)
Diameter: 136.62 cm (53.8 in)
Circumference: 429 cm (169 in)
Description
The Horse Chestnut was introduced to North America in the 1740s by settlers who wanted large shade trees. It can be found from Ontario south to Virginia and west to Wisconsin. The name ‘horse chestnut’ came from the Turks who would use the fruit as a drug to treat horses suffering from coughs. It is often planted as a shade tree in parks or used in landscaping in urban areas. It is considered a ‘dirty’ tree however, because it always seems to be dropping twigs, flowers, fruit and leaves onto the ground. It produces showy white flower clusters that are about 30 cm long in late April or early May. It can be distinguished by its large palmately compound leaves with 5-7 leaflets, and by the prickly husks that surround its seeds. (Source: Focus on Forests )
(Source: Idaho State University )
