Culture
Grow in rich, moist, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Best with consistent moisture. Avoid dry soils.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Aesculus chinensis, commonly called Chinese horse chestnut or Chinese buckeye, is a rounded deciduous tree that typically grows to 30-40' (less frequently to 70') tall. It is native to forests, thickets, slopes, ravines and roadsides in northern China. Long-stalked, deciduous, palmate green leaves have serrate margins. Each leaf has 5-7 oblong-lanceolate to oblong-obovate leaflets (3-10" long) which are usually glabrous beneath except for tomentose veins. Erect and showy cylindrical terminal panicles (to 16" long) of showy white flowers bloom in mid spring (May to June). Flowers are followed by globose, spineless, rough-textured, dehiscent fruit capsules whose husks open at maturity in early fall to release 1 or 2 dark brown nuts (to 1" across). Each nut has a light tan scar. Nuts are poisonous.
Genus name is the Latin name for a kind of oak bearing edible acorns but applied by Linnaeus to this genus.
Specific epithet means of China.
Problems
For plants in the genus Aesculus, potential disease problems include powdery mildew, rust and anthracnose and potential insect problems include bagworms, Japanese beetles and borers. Leaf scorch (edges brown up) may occur in droughty conditions or on sites exposed to strong wind.
Uses
Very limited distribution in the United States. Landscape specimen.