Planetagarden
The growth rate of the horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) is considered to be of medium speed which, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, denotes a tree that grows between 13 and 24 inches annually. The leaves of this tree are light green, eventually turning darker with maturity.
- How quickly does a horse chestnut tree grow?
- How much does a chestnut tree grow per year?
- Can you keep a horse chestnut tree small?
- How high do chestnut trees grow?
- How poisonous are horse chestnuts?
- How close to a house can you plant a horse chestnut tree?
- How long do chestnut trees live?
- Why are chestnuts so expensive?
- Where do chestnut trees grow best?
- What can you do with horse chestnuts?
- How do you prune a horse chestnut tree?
- Are horse chestnut trees messy?
- Are chestnut tree roots invasive?
- What is the best fertilizer for chestnut trees?
- How much water does a chestnut tree need?
- What eats horse chestnuts?
- How can you tell the difference between horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts?
- Why are they called horse chestnuts?
- Which trees damage foundations?
- What trees should not be planted close to a house?
- How far away should a tree be from your house?
How quickly does a horse chestnut tree grow?
Unlike some tree species, germination rates for these seeds tend to be rather good. One the roots begin to sprout from the conker, you can pot it up in a container filled with a mix of soil-based compost. They will be ready to plant into their final growing position in around a year, when they are a foot or so tall.
How much does a chestnut tree grow per year?
The American chestnut tree has a moderate growth rate, generally growing 2 to 3 feet per season. It generally grows to a height of 50 to 75 feet, though it is capable of growing between 80 and 100 feet.
Can you keep a horse chestnut tree small?
You do need a lot of space to grow your own conkers: a mature horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a magnificent tree, with a height and spread of around 25m, so not one for a small garden (or even a medium-sized one).
How high do chestnut trees grow?
Bear in mind that not all varieties are self-fertile and that most varieties will eventually mature into a very large tree. The variety Regal is self-fertile, grows to around 5 m (15 feet) in height after 10 years and produces nuts after two–three years.
How poisonous are horse chestnuts?
Raw horse chestnut seed, bark, flower, and leaf are UNSAFE and can even cause death when taken by mouth by adults or children. Signs of poisoning include stomach upset, kidney problems, muscle twitching, weakness, loss of coordination, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor.
How close to a house can you plant a horse chestnut tree?
You want to give it at least 40 feet of spacing from the house as this will be its potential spread when fully grown. The spread of the canopy in trees reflects the spread of the roots, so if you plan for the canopy, this will also take care of the roots.
How long do chestnut trees live?
The only way you can be sure of getting abundant, large-sized nuts is if you water the trees regularly throughout the growing season. Most chestnut tree types only begin to produce nuts after they are three to 7 years old. Still, keep in mind that some chestnut tree types can live up to 800 years.
Why are chestnuts so expensive?
European chestnut trees also suffer from blight, but the food crop is still booming. ... Experts have used hypovirulence to narrow down blight-resistant variations in America, though they have yet to develop a seed that is 100 percent resistant. Until then, your holiday chestnuts will likely remain expensive.
Where do chestnut trees grow best?
Check soil conditions. The ideal spot for a chestnut tree is in a sunny location with well-draining loamy soil with a pH between 5 – 6.5.
What can you do with horse chestnuts?
Uses for Horse Chestnuts
While you cannot safely eat horse chestnuts or feed them to livestock, they have medicinal uses. Extract from the poisonous conkers contains aescin. This is used to treat hemorrhoids and chronic venous insufficiency. In addition, over history conkers have been used to keep spiders away.
How do you prune a horse chestnut tree?
A general rule of thumb is to avoid pruning horse chestnut trees in early spring to mid-summer and late summer to mid-winter. Better times to prune this specimen are from mid-winter to early spring or mid-spring to mid-summer. Before pruning the tree, consider what you hope to achieve.
Are horse chestnut trees messy?
The Aesculus genus includes tree species commonly known as the horse chestnut and the Buckeye. ... However it is important to be aware that many consider these trees to be very messy, causing troublesome litter on the lawn. The leaves are typically very large and decompose slowly.
Are chestnut tree roots invasive?
They can be a problem in the city because horse-chestnut roots are so invasive they break and uproot pavement, and the trees grow 60 feet high and 40 feet wide.
What is the best fertilizer for chestnut trees?
We recommend using Scotts Osmocote for younger trees Indoor/Outdoor (19-6-12) recommend amount per directions or Espoma Holly Tone Organic Fertilizer. Spread the fertilizer evenly under the entire canopy of the tree avoiding a 5-inch area around the trunk. Mix in top 1-3 " of soil, then water in.
How much water does a chestnut tree need?
Water thoroughly for at least the first month after planting. For best success, water with about 1 gallon per tree every week.
What eats horse chestnuts?
Conker conundrum
Despite all the fun to be had with the seeds of a horse chestnut tree, they do have a more serious side. Conkers can be mildly poisonous to many animals, causing sickness if eaten, although some animals can safely consume them, most notably deer and wild boar.
How can you tell the difference between horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts?
Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), which has similar nuts, but those of the sweet chestnut are smaller and found in clusters. The leaves are completely different, with sweet chestnut having single, long, serrated leaves and horse chestnut having hand-shaped leaves with deeply divided lobes or 'fingers'.
Why are they called horse chestnuts?
When the tree was brought to Britain in 1616 from the Balkans, it was called horse chestnut because the Turks would feed the seeds to their ailing horses. The tree is chiefly grown nowadays for ornamental purposes, in towns and private gardens and in parks, and along streets.
Which trees damage foundations?
While oaks, poplars, and ash trees are undoubtedly the most common causes of foundation issues, there are many other types of trees that can cause issues. Some are deciduous trees, such as the black locust, boxelder, Norway maple, silver maple, sweetgum, sycamore and tuliptree.
What trees should not be planted close to a house?
Trees known for their rather undesirable qualities, and why you should steer clear of them.
- Cottonwood. One of the trees you should avoid having in your backyard is certainly cottonwood. ...
- Bradford Pear. ...
- Mimosa Tree. ...
- Mulberry Tree. ...
- Chinese Tallow. ...
- Norway Maple. ...
- Eucalyptus. ...
- Quaking Aspen.
How far away should a tree be from your house?
To get the most useful shade on the house at a practical distance, place the tree 15 to 20 feet from the house. Small trees may be planted closer than 15 feet, but large trees should be planted 20 feet or more away from the house.
