Horse Chestnut

Aesculus hippocastanum

Few gardens have the room for one, and its leaf troubles are hard to escape once it has any size.

Light Full sun
Height 20 m
Spread 49 ft 3 in
Spacing 1500 cm

Spacing & sowing

Plant spacing
49 ft 3 in
In-row spacing
49 ft 3 in
Between rows
61 ft 6 in
Square-foot density
Not suited to SFG

Growing

Type
Tree · Perennial
Botanical family
Mixed / other
Sunlight
Full sun
Feeding
All-purpose balanced
Frost tolerant
Yes
Flowering
May

Through the year

  • Apr–May Bud Break
  • May–Jun Flowering
  • Jun–Oct Fruit Set
  • Oct–Nov Leaf Fall
  • Nov–Dec Winter Dormancy
  • Jan–Apr Winter Dormancy

Companions

Bluebells, Wild Garlic, Foxgloves, Beech

Garden allies

Beneficial predators that hunt this plant's pests — grow their favourite flowers nearby to recruit them. companion plant

  • Parasitic wasps Braconidae & Trichogramma

    Tiny, stingless wasps that lay eggs in or on caterpillars, aphids, and moth eggs — the white cocoons riding a hornworm are their calling card, so leave that caterpillar be. Umbel flowers with shallow nectar keep the adults fuelled.