Horse chestnut (scientific name: Aesculus chinensis Bunge): It is a deciduous tree, up to 25 meters high, with dark brown or gray-brown bark, small branches, cylindrical, yellow-brown or gray-brown, and light yellow lenticels. The winter buds are large and resinous. The leaves are palmately compound, composed of 5-7 leaves. The upper surface is dark green and hairless. The lower part is hairless except for the base of the middle rib and lateral veins which are sparsely hairy when young. The inflorescence is cylindrical, and the main axis of the inflorescence is puberulent. The small inflorescence is often composed of 5-10 flowers, extending flat and diagonally, and has puberty. The flowers are heterogeneous, with male flowers and hermaphrodite flowers on the same plant. The calyx is tubular and bell-shaped, and the petals are 4, white, oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate. The fruit is spherical or obovate, yellowish brown, thornless, with dense spots. The seeds often develop into 1-2 seeds, nearly spherical, chestnut brown; the hilum is white, accounting for about 1/2 of the seed volume. The flowering period is from April to May and the fruiting period is from October.
Horse chestnut seeds are edible, but they taste bitter when eaten directly. They need to be boiled with alkaline water before they can be eaten. They taste like chestnuts. Starch can also be extracted. The fine wood can be used to make various utensils, the seeds can be used for medicinal purposes, and the oil can be pressed to make soap. Horse chestnut has beautiful tree shape, large and beautiful flowers, and unique fruit shape. It is a rare tree species for viewing leaves, flowers and fruits, and is one of the world-famous ornamental tree species.
