aesculus ?? id problem

[greeneye]

Hi everyone, just joined today

I've browsed the internet trying to id a tree related to horsechestnut conker variety,
but with no real certainty.

The fruit from this tree resembles a kiwi fruit in shape crudely and has no hard large nut inside.....
I'd be grateful if someone could put me out of my misery and let me know what
this tree is?

Greeneye

[Jez]

Hi Aesculus The Horse Chestnut isn't a native of Britain. It originates from China! Is the tree that you want id on also found in Britain?

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jez

Hi Aesculus The Horse Chestnut isn't a native of Britain. It originates from China! Is the tree that you want id on also found in Britain?

The regular horse chestnut, A. hippocastanum comes from Balkans/Greece area.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

The regular horse chestnut, A. hippocastanum comes from Balkans/Greece area.

My books are so wrong. I have been diddled

[September]

Hello greeneye - any chance of a piccy?

[greeneye]

Thanks for your replies,

The tree is found in this country and planted alongside normal horsechestnut (hc) in parks.
I'm new to this and am not sure how get a picture up.

The leaves are similar to hc, though more oval at bottom, and only five arranged similarly to hc.

The flowers do vary, pink or white. Seed about size of kiwi and in shape and easily splits
into three equal parts with tiny seed inside each part.

I can't seem to find picture of seed anywhere.
I am currently posting from work and will endeavour to get a picture uo soon from home.

Greeneye

[JennyS]

Hi greeneye,
From your description it could be Indian Horse Chestnut, A.indica. I'll scan the pic I found and post it up in a bit!



Taken from Roger Phillips 'Trees in Britain'
In the description it says 'fruit has thin smooth skin enclosing 2 or 3 wrinkled brown seeds'

[greeneye]

Thanks Jenny

The leaves are spot on... but fruit is even more shaped like kiwi than in picture.
They seem fig like in your piccy. The fruit is also sparsely spikey
and the seeds are tiny. You are definitely very close.

I've walked past these trees a thousand times and it hadn't clicked that they
were not the normal horsechestnuts.


Greeneye

[JennyS]

Hi again - couple more that you could check out are:

A.glabra (Ohio Buckeye) with 'fruits 2.5 - 5cm long with prickles on the outsides, usually containing 2 brown seeds'

A.turbinata (Japanese Horse Chestnut) 'rough, but not spiny, egg or pear-shaped fruit'

Good luck with the id hunt!