Horse Chestnut
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Botanical Name |
Aesculus hippocastanum |
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Family |
Hippocastanaceae |
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Other Names |
Conker tree, Hippovastanum vulgare, white chestnut |
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Habitat |
Woods, roadsides |
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Description |
Deciduous tree up to 30m. Bark: Reddish brown -grey Leaves compound, 5-7 leaflets. Buds: Large, brown and sticky. Flowers: white spikes tinged with yellow or pink at the base May-June. Orange patches mean the plant has been pollunated the flowers also have a insect attracting pattern on them that can only be seen under ultra violet light. The seeds (conkers) are grown and grown in a green prickly shell. When the leaves fall in autnumn a horse shoe shaped scar can be seen |
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Native to |
Asia |
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Introduced to |
Europe in 16th century |
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Parts Used |
The fruit, bark |
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Actions |
Aniti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, anti-rheumatic, astringent, tonic, venotonic |
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Constituents |
Flavones, starch, fatty oil, glycosides – aesculin Saponins –composed of acylated glycosides of protoescigenin, barring togenol C Sterols and triterpenes –friedelin, taraxerol, spinasterol Coumarins –esculin, fraxin, aglycones Flavonoids –quercetin, kaempferol Procyanidins and anthocyanins, catechins, tannins |
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Skin |
Bruises, haemorrhoids, varicose veins, swelling |
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Other Notes |
Used to treat chest conditions in horses. Has been used for toy making and artificial limbs and fruit racks |
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Cautions |
Do not use on broken skin Do not use in large quantities |