What good are horse chestnuts?

[Dexter]

I just found a bunch of horse chestnuts coming up in a pile of compost from elsewhere....

While I'd like to get them going out in the field... I don't want them taking up productive grazing area if they are completely useless.

Thanks!

[naturelover]

LOL. They're a massive pain in the butt.

Negative points first -

They are extremely dirty, acidic trees, constantly dropping debris and sticky acid sap 4 seasons a year. In the spring it's the sap and sticky flower husks, and then the sticky flowers. In the summer and into fall it's the sap, the leaves and spiny husked nuts which break apart when they hit the ground and get embedded in the soil. In autumn it's the sap, 100's of pounds of spiny nuts (you need gloves to handle them) and tons of leaves and in winter it's broken branches that won't even burn well. Cleaning up after them can be a daily chore year round.

Don't get hit on the head in the autumn by the mature nuts while you're raking the leaves, they can cause serious puncture injuries because of the spines. They take aim at you when they're dropping. Wear a hard-hat, goggles and gloves.

A large horsechestnut will suck up hundreds of gallons of water per day while contributing nothing back to the soil. There's not much of anything else will grow under a horsechestnut, they poison the soil with tannin and saponin (soap) and send out massive roots along the surface, break up the concrete of building foundations, break up water or gas pipes, sidewalks, wells, etc.

The nuts are not edible to livestock unless the excessive tannin and saponin is leeched out of them in fresh running water for about a week. Then you can feed the still bitter nuts to pigs and cattle but they're useless for human consumption. They can cause serious diarrhea from the tannins and saponins (like eating a bar of soap would do). Nothing will eat the fresh un-leeched nuts. The trees are self pollinating so most nuts are viable and they take root like weeds anywhere.

Positive points -

They grow very fast and very wide and a big horsechestnut will provide good shade in the summer. But don't sit under it without protective gear and don't park your car under it, the sap will ruin the paint.

Spiders and most insects don't like the off-gassing from the nuts so they are a good spider and insect repellant. You can collect up the nuts and cast off husks and place them in basements, eaves, rafters, barns, cupboards, closets, etc. to repell spiders. Lots of people around here collect the nuts solely for that purpose.

I guess you can tell I don't really like horsechestnut trees very much.

.

[Cliff]

They're poisonous to livestock. Also they can be tempting because they're the first thing green. Bad combination.
The nuts have been used in the distant past for feed, but are toxic without special treatment. I think they were crushed, soaked, then boiled before being ground up.
We have them in the woods surrounding our pastures and wish we didn't.

[Bonnie L]

But they are SO beautiful! Kids can play conkers with the nuts - tho it is sort of dangerous. And when polished the nuts are lovely in wreaths. Other than that, they don't seem to be too practical.

[mtnbluet881]

I wish you were closer and I would pick yours up.

I just drove to CVS and Walgreens today looking for Horse Chestnut capsules. They are wonderful for varicose veins. Right now I am using my combination capsules that have horse chestnut plus in them. They are rather expensive as the capsules with just horse chestnut in them are not. Guess I will have to order them from Botanic choice. com as my search was unfruitful.

Yes, you do have to do some processing, but it is a very helpful 'nut'.

[Ken Scharabok]

Trivia: Longfellow's poem about The Village Blacksmith was based on an actual shop. Some years later the chestnut tree in front of it was cut down to widen the road. Lumber from it was saved and local children donated pennies to have a chair made for him. Testing later proved it to be European Horse Chestnut, not American Chestnut, as commonly assumed.

[Joshie]

Originally Posted by mtnbluet881

I wish you were closer and I would pick yours up.

I just drove to CVS and Walgreens today looking for Horse Chestnut capsules. They are wonderful for varicose veins. Right now I am using my combination capsules that have horse chestnut plus in them.

Horse chestnuts (parts, at least) can be poisonous. It appears that the type in these capsules are European, not American horse chestnuts.

Personally, I do not like them. They are messy trees. For me, even touching them causes significant allergy problems.

http://www.answers.com/topic/aesculus

[Jenn]

My good gardener friend in England is blind in one eye from playing conkers as a child (kids throwing the nuts at each other)

[culpeper]

Culinary Uses: The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute. Seeds can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a gruel.

Medicinal Uses: Horse chestnut is taken in small doses internally for the treatment of a wide range of venous diseases, including hardening of the arteries, varicose veins, phlebitis, leg ulcers, haemorrhoids and frostbite. The plant also reduces fluid retention. It is also made into a lotion or gel for external application. A tea made from the bark is used in the treatment of malaria and dysentery and externally in the treatment of lupus and skin ulcers. A tea made from the leaves is tonic and is used in the treatment of fevers and whooping cough. The seeds have been used in the treatment of rheumatism, neuralgia and haemorrhoids. They are said to be narcotic and that 10 grains of the nut are equal to 3 grains of opium. An oil extracted from the seeds has been used externally as a treatment for rheumatism. A compound of the powdered root has been used to treat chest pains. The buds are used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Failure to learn by experience', 'Lack of observation in the lessons of life' and hence 'The need of repetition'. Horse chestnut is also used to soothe sports injuries, such as strains and sprains. Some research indicates that horse chestnut is valuable in the treatment of wrinkles, hair loss, cellulite, backache and arthritis.

Other Uses: Saponins in the seed are used as a soap substitute. The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water. This water can then be used for washing the body and clothes. Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark.

Warning: Use this herb only under professional medical supervision. Seeds contain saponins which are poisonous in large doses and must be removed by cooking before the seed is eaten. There are reports that children have died from eating the nuts. Grazing animals are also susceptible to poisoning if they eat the seeds. Symptoms of poisoning include muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhoea, depression, paralysis and stupour. People with bleeding disorders should avoid horse chestnut.

[Old John]

I don't think I ever heard them called Horse chestnuts.
We always just called them Buckeyes.
Squirrels eat them like crazy. They love them.
Yes, they are poison to cattle & horses.
The old folks who had our place had a Buckeye tree as an Orenoamental,
in the circular driveway. It was fine before we got the cats.
The squirrels carried off all the nuts. But not the cats scare away all the squirrels. So the buckeyes are just lawn litter. If I ever get cattle......
that tree is Going, pretty red orange in the Fall, or not.

[Joshie]

Around here we have both horse chestnuts and buckeyes.

This is what I'd call a horse chestnut tree.

http://www.pureextracts.us/images/pr...E_CHESTNUT.jpg

My grandma had what we called a buckeye tree but it was something different from this one. The one pictured is not a nice tree. Branches frequently break and it's messy nearly every season of the year.

[MELOC]

you can't eat the nuts and the wood is hard to split and burns quickly causing powdery ash build-up. when splitting the wood, you either chip it out in small pieces or sink the ax in until it is stuck. i would pass on the chance to grow horse chestnut.

[ronbre]

well i just planted two sweet chestnuts..hope they aren't like the horsechestnuts being a pain in the A...as I put in two near my berry gardens

[Dexter]

Thanks for all the ideas here. At least at this point I'm not interested.