What is the difference between a horse chestnut and a conker?

What is the difference between a horse chestnut and a conker?

Both come in green shells, but horse chestnut cases have short, stumpy spikes all over. Inside, the conkers are round and glossy. Sweet chestnut cases have lots of fine spikes, giving them the appearance of small green hedgehogs. Each case contains two or three nuts and, unlike conkers, sweet chestnuts are edible.

What falls from horse chestnut trees?

Horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) are large flowering trees, similar to buckeyes, with showy, white blooms in spring. These are followed by attractive, spiny, green seedpods from midsummer through fall.

Why do some horse chestnuts not have conkers?

Prematurely brown trees fail to produce conkers The horse chestnut trees in Kew Gardens had no conkers this year as a result of disease and pest infestation. On Hampstead Heath, contamination of the water in the Ladies’ Pond is being blamed on leaf fall from horse chestnuts infected with leaf disease.

Can you grow a horse chestnut tree from a conker?

Growing a horse chestnut tree from seed begins with chilling the conker. If seeds remain outside during cold winter days, this is sufficient chilling, but they’re unlikely to still be there in spring. If you wish to attempt propagation, gather the horse chestnuts when they fall from the tree in early autumn.

What is a conker tree called?

Aesculus hippocastanum, the horse chestnut, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is a large deciduous, synoecious (hermaphroditic-flowered) tree. It is also called horse-chestnut, European horsechestnut, buckeye, and conker tree.

Can you eat conker?

Despite being called horse chestnuts, conkers can actually be mildly poisonous to some animals. Other animals, such as deer and wild boar, can safely consume them. Because of their high toxicity level, conkers are unfit for human consumption.

Why is it called horse chestnut tree?

Etymology. The common name horse chestnut originates from the similarity of the leaves and fruits to sweet chestnuts, Castanea sativa (a tree in a different family, the Fagaceae), together with the alleged observation that the fruit or seeds could help panting or coughing horses.

Are horse chestnuts good trees?

Because of its size, vertical growing shape and flowering characteristics, horse chestnuts make good shade trees in parks, college campuses, large lawn areas and open spaces. The flowers are by far the showiest part of this tree.

Why are there no conkers on trees?

But your game of conkers could be in trouble. That’s because the trees where they come from have been put on the official extinction list. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, about half of horse chestnut trees face extinction because they’re being attacked by moths and disease.

What animal eats horse chestnuts?

Despite being called horse chestnuts, conkers can actually be mildly poisonous to some animals. Other animals, such as deer and wild boar, can safely consume them.

What happens if I plant a conker?

Plant your conkers and grow new horse chestnut trees! Fill a deep gratnells tray half full with water and pop your conkers in. The ones that float can be discarded (or used for the other activities below), they have dried out and will not grow into new tree if planted.

How quickly do horse chestnut trees grow?

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.