Horse Chestnut with sun behind, Aesculus hippocastanum in spring

Horse chestnut is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to the Balkan peninsula. Common name: horse chestnut Scientific name: Aesculus hippocastanum Family: Hippocastanaceae UK provenance: non-native Interesting fact: the leaf stalks leave a scar on the twig when they fall, which resembles an inverted horse shoe with nail holes. This association with horses could explain why conkers used to be ground up and fed to horses to relieve them of coughs, and could be the origin of the tree's name.