Red Horse Chestnut (Aesculus x carnea) - young fruit - June 2018

A Red Horse Chestnut tree near Dix's fields of Exeter, UK.

===

Red Horse Chestnut is a cross between the more familiar Horse Chestnut (conker tree) and the American Red Buckeye. The Red Horse Chestnut has pink flowers and there are several cultivars which are:

‘Briotii’ which has deep scarlet flowers in 10-inch-long panicles and no fruit
‘Rosea’ has pink flowers
‘O’Neil’s Red’ has double red flowers

Propagation is from seed, an oddity for most hybrids. The flowers begin to show at the end of April right through to the beginning of June.

Typically planted in parks and private gardens, but occasionally planted as a street tree. Due to the excessive leaf litter and fruit (conkers) they can leave quite a lot of ground mess.

===

Botanical name: Aesculus carnea
All Common Names: red horse-chestnut, red horsechestnut
Family (Botanic): Sapindaceae (formerly Hippocastanaceae)
Tree or Plant Type: Tree
Foliage: Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native Locale: Non-native
Planting Site: Residential and parks
Landscape Uses: Parkway/street, Shade tree, Specimen
Size Range: Medium tree (25-40 feet)
Mature Height: 30-40 feet
Mature Width: 30-40 feet
Light Exposure: Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun/shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Soil Preference: Acid soil, Moist, well-drained soil
Acid Soils: Prefers
Alkaline Soils: Moderately Tolerant
Salt Spray: Tolerant
Soil Salt: Intolerant
Drought Conditions: Intolerant
Poor Drainage: Intolerant
Planting Considerations: Messy fruit/plant parts
Ornamental Interest: Spring blossoms, Showy flowers
Season of Interest: Late spring
Flower Color & Fragrance: Pink, Red
Shape or Form: Round
Growth Rate: Moderate
Transplants Well: No
Wildlife: Insect pollinators, Small mammals
More Information:
More tolerant of dryness than horse-chestnut, but still grows best in a moist soil.

Disease, pests and problems

Large spiny fruits can be messy.
Leaf blotch and mildew are possible problems, but less so on this species than on related species.

Disease, pest and problem resistance

This hybrid is less susceptible to leaf blotch and mildew than European horse-chestnut.

Native geographic location and habitat

This is a hybrid cross between red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) and Common horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).

Bark color and texture
Bark is gray-brown, becoming platy as the tree ages.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture
Palmately compound leaves arranged in pairs (opposite).
Dark green with 5 or sometimes 7 leaflets.
Fall color is yellow-brown.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size

6 to 8 inch long, cone-shaped terminal cluster.
Flower color varies from pink to red.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions

Shiny brown nuts in a 1 ½” prickly husk.
Horse-chestnuts are not true chestnuts and should not be eaten.

Cultivars and their differences

Ruby Red Horse-chestnut (Aesculus x carnea ‘Briotii’): 25 to 35 feet high and 25 to 35 feet wide with a compact, rounded shape
Deep red flowers with yellow throats bloom in May