Aesculus chinensis

RHS Plant Profile

Chinese horse chestnut

Trees

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A broad-crowned, deciduous tree up to 15m tall, with palmate mid-green leaves with 5-7 leaflets. The white flowers with protruding stamens are producted inpanicles upto 30cm tall in mid-summer and followed by rough-skined round fruit up to 2.5cm across

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Higher than 12 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 20–50 years
Max Spread: 4-8 metres
Max Height: Higher than 12 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Aesculus can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with showy flowers, palmately-lobed leaves and sometimes good autumn colour
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: N China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows best in deep, fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a warm sunny position for best results. For further information, see our advice on tree cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings or seed. For more advice see our information on how to propagate from seed (tree/shrub

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to Horse chestnut scale and leaf-mining moth

Diseases

May be susceptible to coral spot, canker and leaf spot