Horse chestnut

Tree·Aesculus hippocastanum

Perennial

Full sun

Sun

Medium

Water

Moist soil

Drainage

Zones 3–8

Hardiness

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a tree. It grows best in full sun and has moderate water needs.

Through the year

DormantLeafing outFloweringFruitingDying back

Works well with

from wiki data

No companions recorded.

WHAT IT NEEDS

Wants full sun

Needs moderate water

Tolerates moist soil, as long as it drains well

Prefers soil pH 5.5–7.5

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Prefers loam, clay soil

Struggles in compacted soil

Draws up calcium, potassium from deep in the soil

Adds a lot of organic matter to the soil

Partners with mycorrhizal fungi to boost nutrient uptake

WHAT IT GIVES

Gives shade (dense)

Gives leaf litter (abundant)

Gives organic matter (high)

Gives habitat (provides nesting and foraging for birds and mammals)

Gives pollen (abundant)

Gives nectar (moderate)

Provides calcium

Provides potassium

Attracts pollinators

HOW IT GROWS

SIZE & SPACING

Canopy tree

Height2000–3000 cm

Spacing1500 cm (min 1000 cm)

Root depthDeep

Width1500–2000 cm

Width figures are rough estimates, the most variable measurement in our data.

AI estimate · accuracy improves as growers contribute corrections.

HOW TO PROPAGATE

Propagate by seed

Difficulty

Establishes in about 3 yr

Self-seeds readily on its own

Where this comes from

Parsed4 Oct 2026

ConfidenceNot recorded

Plan with perma