64BROADLEAVED COMPOUNDRed Horse ChestnutAesculus x carnea (Hippocastanaceae)REDDISH pink flowers are a feature inherited from one of the Red Horse Chestnut parent species, the much smaller Red Buckeye.This hybrid between the Horse Chestnut (right) and Red Buckeye (p.66) is a deciduous, broadly columnar to rounded tree. Its dark green leaves are opposite and palmately divided into 5� sharply toothed leaflets. The flowers emerge creamy white streaked with yellow, but later turn deep pink, blotched with red. They have five petals and are borne in conical, upright clusters. Rounded fruit contain up to three seeds (onkers� and have few or no spines; they ripen from green to brown. riotii� a garden selection that is occasionally seen, has deep red flowers and darker, glossier leaves.columnar to rounded habitdeep pink to red flowersfinely toothed marginleaf to 25cm longflower clusters to 20cm longfruit to 4cm wideNOTEHEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Red-brown, rather rough, and often develops burrs. FLOWERING TIME Late spring. OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (grown in parks, streets,and gardens). SIMILAR SPECIES Horse Chestnut (right), which has whitish flowers and spiny fruit; Red Buckeye (p.66), which is a much smaller tree with flowers that have four petals.In winter, the Red Horse Chestnut can be identified by its only slightly sticky buds, as opposed to the very sticky buds of the Horse Chestnut (right).
