How to Identify the Common Horse Chestnut

Leaf Identification

The leaves of the Common Horse Chestnut are palmately compound with 7 obovate to ovate leaflets that are 4″ to 10″ long. The middle leaflet is almost always the longest, and they progressively get shorter the closer it gets to the petiole. The margins are doubly serrated, and the venation is pinnate. They are a light green in spring, dark green in summer, and turn yellow and brown in the fall. The leaf arrangement is opposite (leaf stems always branch off the stem opposite from another leaf stem).

  • Diseased Leaf of Arbor Walk #64
  • Underside of Leaf from Arbor Walk #64
  • Leaflet of Arbor Walk #64

Twig and Bud Identification

The twigs of the Common Horse Chestnut are brownish-gray and have raised lenticels (pores). The buds are large, shiny, and reddish-brown.

  • Twig of Arbor Walk #64
  • Branch & Twigs of Arbor Walk #64
  • Bud of Arbor Walk #64
  • Twig of Arbor Walk #64

Bark Identification

The Common Horse Chestnut’s bark is grayish-brown to black broken into scaly plates.

  • Bark of Arbor Walk #64

Fruit Identification

The fruit of the Common Horse Chestnut is a shiny, dark brown nut with a tan scar. It is surrounded by very spiny and leathery husk. They ripen in the fall.

  • Fallen, Old Fruit without Husk of Arbor Walk #64
  • Immature Fruit of Arbor Walk #64

Flower Identification

The flowers of the Common Horse Chestnut are upright terminal panicles. They bloom in mid spring. They are white with red or yellow markings.

[photo forthcoming]