Horse-chestnut - Aesculus hippocastanum

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Alternative names
Horse Chestnut
Description

Large tree to 25 metres. Buds large, deep brown and sticky. Leaves pinnate with 5 to 7 leaflets, coarse toothed. Flowers white each of the 4 petals with a yellow or pink blotch at the base 9 to 11 mm in large erect conical panicles. Fruit globose up to 6 cm yellowish green when ripe, spiny splitting to reveal 1 or 2 shiny brown seeds (conkers).

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Open wooded areas.

When to see it

May and June.

Life History

Deciduous.

UK Status

Common in Britain though slightly less so in Scotland

VC55 Status

Quite common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 417 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Graham Calow
    Donkey Lane Copse, Sapcote
    24 May 2006
  • Melinda Bell
    Heather, QEDJWood
    15 June 2020
  • David Nicholls
    Market Bosworth Country Park
    01 March 2012
  • Peter Smith
    Cropston Reservoir
    17 September 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Leicester, former Western golf course
    31 January 2022
    bud + horseshoe leaf scar
  • Saharima Roenisch
    Leicester Victoria Park
    07 July 2020
  • stepgray4
    Charnwood Lodge
    25 October 2020
  • Saharima Roenisch
    Bradgate Park
    01 May 2017
    overall form
  • rodmcmichael
    Broughton Walk
    22 March 2015

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Horse Chestnut, Horse-chestnut
Species group:
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Sapindales
Family:
Sapindaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
280
First record:
21/09/1998 (Anthony Fletcher)
Last record:
28/04/2025 (axon, kaye)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • David Nicholls
    Rutland Water
    22 March 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    04 April 2014
    bud opening
  • Alan Semper
    Harby canal
    05 June 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    14 May 2014
  • Alan Semper
    Harby churchyard
    11 September 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Narborough Road, Cosby
    15 May 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    06 June 2013
  • Peter Smith
    Cropston Reservoir
    17 September 2011
  • Alan Semper
    Harby churchyard
    24 May 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Near High Cross
    14 March 2016
    buds opening
  • Barbara Cooper
    Clawson Hill
    26 May 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Harby, nature reserve
    13 September 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    02 April 2013
    in bud
  • Jean Baird
    Glen Parva woods
    20 April 2013
  • Alan Semper
    Harby canal
    05 June 2013
  • egaten
    Sutton Wharf
    31 October 2019
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Melton Country Park
    30 March 2015
  • stepgray4
    Holwell Reserves
    24 April 2021