Chestnut leaves: description, application, photo. Chestnut leaves in autumn

People have known about the healing effects of chestnuts since ancient times. This is a small genus of spreading trees native to the southern regions. The fruits of the plant are endowed with a colossal list of useful compounds and elements that few people are aware of. People are accustomed to eating them and preparing sweet desserts from nutritious nuts, without even realizing their healing power. Scientists know thoroughly that all parts of this amazing tree are endowed with a huge bouquet of useful ingredients.

The fruits, flowers, seeds, bark and leaves of the edible chestnut are widely used in alternative medicine. Official science has proven the therapeutic significance of all components. In this material, space is given to green leaves bordering the crown of the tree. You will gain useful information about its properties, uses, and also learn how to prepare healing decoctions.

Chestnut root system

The first feature of the root system of an adult chestnut is that by the size of the crown of these trees it is difficult to determine the size of the root system and understand where it ends.
This is important for planting other plants next to the chestnut. It turns out that the projection of the crown is very often several times smaller than the projection of the root system

If the crown projection area is about 3 square meters, then the root projection area exceeds 20 square meters. Thus, not only under the crown of the tree, but also four to five meters from its borders, it is unlikely that anything will grow well, because powerful roots will pull all the useful substances from the soil. Therefore, most types of chestnuts can be recommended for spacious medium and large areas.

The root system of an adult chestnut consists of:

• taproot
• roots of the first and second order
• horizontal roots
• vertical branches from horizontal roots

The taproot goes three or more meters deep. OH has lateral branching of the first and second order. A well-growing tree has twice as many second-order roots as first-order roots. Some of the horizontal roots are located superficially and extend parallel to the surface.

The other part goes into the soil at an angle, in an oblique-vertical direction. In mature chestnuts, these roots are so well developed that they make the main tap root almost invisible. Thus, the chestnut root system can be described as wide-spread and deep.

This root system makes this tree wind-resistant. In addition, it is not afraid of drought, since the root system develops space well and provides the plant with moisture. Thanks to the structure of the root system, chestnuts protect the soil from being blown out and washed away.

If the choice is made in favor of chestnut, then you should know that while an adult tree has very strong roots, those of young plants are quite fragile. In the first year after germination, the seedling forms a long tap root, up to 40 cm. The length of the root at a young age is 2-4 times greater than the height of the ground shoot.

When choosing a chestnut seedling, you need to give preference to a specimen in a container, since it is very easy to damage the tap root when planting. Chestnuts are easy to grow from seeds. For chestnut, you need a spacious planting hole up to 0.8 cm deep and 0.6 m wide. Immediately after planting, the plant must be well watered. In the future, the plant needs to be provided with regular watering in the year of planting.

About suitable soils

It is preferable for chestnut to grow on chernozem or loamy soil, because they retain moisture better and nourish the tree. However, it should be taken into account that the plant still does not tolerate excess water. Therefore, to loamy soil before planting a tree there. Due to the nature of the soil, it may be necessary to build some kind of drainage system to drain excess water.

We advise you to carefully consider all the nuances before decorating your plot with green spaces, and then for many years you will admire the beauty of the majestic chestnut tree with a spreading crown and relax with your family under its shade on hot days.

Use in landscape design

Horse chestnut (Aesculus) is more often used in landscape compositions rather than chestnut (Castanea sativa). The Aesculus species has decorative fan-shaped leaves with elongated petioles. Leaves of this type on trees are practically not found in Russia, which allows the chestnut to look original.

Despite its less decorative value, Castanea sativa is also used in landscape design, often in group plantings. The tree fits well into the park area, combined with acacias, birches and conifers.

Japanese chestnut is often used for landscaping gardens, squares and creating hedges.

Diseases and pests

Due to the fact that the chestnut tree is practically not susceptible to various diseases and pests, it is very often used in urban landscaping. Quite rarely, this crop is subject to leaf spotting, which indicates an anthracnose disease, fungus or the appearance of powdery mildew. Occasionally, this tree is attacked by pests such as various borers, beetles and bagworms.

To effectively fight chestnut diseases, it should be treated with Bordeaux mixture or the universal fungicide “Fungazol” at the first signs of infection.

Cases of attacks on chestnut plantings by little-studied insects, which began to be called the Balkan or chestnut moth, have become more frequent. It is not known for certain where this moth came from; it was first noticed back in 1985 on the Balkan Peninsula.

Scientists have not yet identified the natural enemies of this type of moth, and there are practically no artificial effective methods of control. The damage that the chestnut moth causes to the plantings of these plants is quite significant. The foliage of an infected chestnut begins to dry out and fall off in mid-summer, and closer to autumn, new young foliage blooms again and the chestnut blooms again. After which the plant does not have time to prepare for the winter period and freezes slightly, and sometimes the entire tree freezes completely.

In order to destroy the moth, a special chemical preparation was developed, which is injected into the tree trunk. The pupae of such moths usually overwinter in fallen leaves, so timely harvesting of leaves is a preventive measure against damage to plantings.

The most dangerous pest is the tick. To prevent its appearance on the chestnut, it is necessary to treat it twice a month with the fungicides “Karbofos” or “Fitover”.

You can also fight diseases and pests of this plant using folk remedies. To treat the affected tree, decoctions of dissected hogweed and black henbane are used.

Watch the video on how to germinate and plant chestnuts

How and where is honey from the product used?

During the flowering period, swarms of bees circle over chestnut trees, collecting a rich harvest of nectar and pollen.

Dark brown chestnut honey with a weak aroma and, depending on the type of plant, a tart or slightly bitter taste, has healing properties and is used not only as a food product, which is added to porridges and desserts, but also as a means of traditional medicine.

Honey is used for respiratory diseases (sore throat, acute respiratory infections, asthma, bronchitis), as well as for:

• treatment of burns, abrasions and wounds;
• diseases of the digestive and genitourinary system;
• improved appetite;
• getting rid of edema;
• treatment of varicose veins and thrombophlebitis;
• normalization of blood pressure.

Propagation by seeds

Seeds and beans are soaked for a day in warm water (water temperature approximately 36-38°C). Then they are planted in a mixture of vermiculite and peat, without burying, but only slightly pressing (5mm) into the surface of the substrate.

You can take a small pot for planting, about 15 cm in diameter. The ambient temperature should be around 18-20°C. Water occasionally, only when the soil is dry.

The most dangerous thing for seeds is waterlogging. Keep an eye on the seed; it should not become moldy, change color, or shrink.

The germination process depends on the freshness of the seeds and can last from 2 months to a year.

What do chestnut trees look like?

• Real chestnut has many names. It is called edible, noble, and sowing. He belongs, as we already wrote above, to the Bukov family, the Kashtan genus. This is a deciduous tree, the height of which can reach 35 m. The tree trunk can reach a thickness of 2 m. The tree has a thick, brown bark, cut with thick longitudinal cracks.
• Horse chestnut is also called acorn and aesculus. The height of a tree from the Sapindaceae family rarely exceeds 25 m in the milder European climate. In our country they reach only 15 m in height. The tree trunk rarely reaches one and a half meters in diameter. The trunk is powerful, the branches are muscular and go obliquely upward.

Beautiful flowering
Unfortunately, few people can determine the size of a tree by eye, so we continue our story about the differences between chestnuts.

Variability of edible chestnut and its shape

Chestnut is quite variable in the structure of organs, general habit, leaves and especially fruits.

Based on the structure of the trunk, A. A. Korkeshko (1975) discovered two forms in the chestnut forests of the Sochi forestry enterprise: 1) the trunk does not branch to the top, as if of monopodial growth; 2) a trunk that branches in the upper third of its height into thick branches. The first form has a rumpled trunk and weak fruiting, while the second form produces a valuable commercial ridge and the trees are productive.

The shape of the crown has long been known for pyramidal mutations - var. pyramidalis Mottet. with narrow pyramidal and var. fastigiata A. Camus with a wide pyramidal crown. The phenoforms according to the time of leaf blooming are as follows: early and late blooming.

The following mutations are observed in the shape of the leaves: split-leaved (f. heterophylla Elves et Henry) - with varying degrees of integrity of the leaf blade; brilliant-leaved (f. glabra Lodd.) - with shiny dense leaves; round-leaved f. rotundifolia Koch.) - oval-rounded leaves; spoon-shaped swollen (f. cochleata Lodd.) - concave leaf blade.

The following chlorophyll mutations are known based on leaf color: purple-red (f. purpurea Elvas et Henry); variegated - leaves with white and yellow spots on a green background and with white and yellow borders along the edges.

The shape and size of the fruits are as follows: large-fruited (f. macrocarpa Khar.) - fruits 2.5 cm high, 3 cm thick; small-fruited (f. microcarpa Khar.) - fruits 1.3 cm high, 1.9 cm thick; elongated (f. elongata Khar.) - fruits are elongated and elongated; flattened (f. depressa Khar.) - flattened fruits; pubescent (f. pubicarpa Khar.) - heavily pubescent fruits; red-fruited (f. rubida Khar.) - reddish fruits.

The shape of the spines of the plus can be: short-spined (f. brevispina Khar.) - spines 0.5-1 cm long; long-spined (f. longispina Khar.) - spines 1.5-2.5 cm long; star-spiked (f. rarispina Khar.) - spines are sparse, thick, star-shaped and branched.

The culture of edible chestnut and its varieties were known in Mediterranean countries long before our era. Currently, up to 1 thousand varieties are known, differing in external structure, quality, ripening time, taste, peel thickness, yield and nature of fruit use. A large group of fruits in Italy, Spain, France and other countries belong to the marron type. These are large fruits, located in the plus one at a time. Large-fruited and valuable varieties of chestnut are also bred, with 2-3 fruits in each cluster. In chestnut breeding in Bulgaria, 4 varieties are used: Karlovo-2, Karlovo-3, Karlovo-6 and Karlovo-8. Fruit weight 13.5-15.5, 2-3 fruits in a cluster, kernel 84-88%, ripening in mid-October (Zdravkov, 1976).

Azerbaijani large-fruited forms of chestnut of national selection are of great value for our country. There are also many forms in the chestnut trees of Abkhazia, Georgia, Krasnodar and the southern zone of the Stavropol Territory. They need to be made known and passed on to the culture.

How to grow chestnut?

If you are ready to plant such a majestic plant on your site, then you should start by choosing future seedlings. You can get sprouts in the following ways:

• Seeds, although they have one unpleasant feature - low germination, so you have to wait quite a long time for the first shoots.
• The fruits allow you to grow a new tree under special conditions.
• The simplest and easiest way is to buy already grown chestnut seedlings. In this way, you can independently choose the desired variety, plant it in the ground and are guaranteed to get a beautiful, large and strong tree.

Growing chestnuts from nuts

If you want to grow a seedling from fallen fruits, then choose the most beautiful and healthy-looking ones, with a strong peel. Picking chestnuts from a tree for future planting is ineffective. If you plan to grow only a couple of seedlings, collect more nuts from the ground - about five. It is not a fact that each of them will germinate quickly.

Rules for autumn and spring planting

As soon as you have collected the fruits, the chestnut loses them in the fall, they immediately need to be prepared for planting. Few nuts survive until spring; after such a long period of time they become dry and it is very difficult to grow strong shoots.

After the autumn harvest, the nuts are kept in the cold for about a week, and then planted in the ground where you want to see a large and spreading tree, and wait for spring. The depth of the hole should be 2–3 times the diameter of the fruit. In this case, you can rely on the mercy of nature, however, you can also work a little to plant the sprouts in open ground in the spring; for this, the seeds will have to be subjected to forced stratification.

Before spring planting, the seeds should be stored in the refrigerator or basement, sprinkled with sand. You can also place a container with seeds under the snow. At the beginning of spring, before direct planting, they are soaked for 5 days in water, which is changed regularly. The swollen fruits are transplanted into moist soil.

Another option for spring planting is to plant the nut in a medium-sized flower pot (300–500 ml) with any type of soil; you can also plant it in the ground from your summer cottage. It is recommended to plant a chestnut seed at a depth of 3–5 cm in moist soil. The first sprout should appear 2–3 weeks after planting. In six months it will grow into a strong seedling, which will quickly grow into a large tree.

Many people choose the spring growing method, as it allows them to obtain strong seedlings with a high germination rate. Autumn planting is dangerous because not all seeds are able to survive the winter, even under snow.

Planting seedlings

Chestnut seedlings are transplanted into open ground at the moment when warm weather sets in and the threat of night frosts disappears. When planting several seedlings, you should take into account the fact that they grow into huge trees, so the distance must be maintained at least 3-5 meters. The soil is preferably chernozem; chestnut seedlings grow poorly in heavy clay soil. When choosing a place, you should make sure that the growing tree is not exposed to the rays of the scorching sun, but an area that is too shaded is not suitable.

The hole should be dug in the shape of a cube 0.5 meters deep. The bottom layer is drainage, which can be sand, pebbles, sand or crushed stone. The soil from the pit should be mixed with sand and humus, and a little slaked lime and phosphate-potassium fertilizers should be added as recharge. It is recommended to add dolomite flour if the soil is acidic.

Before planting a chestnut in the ground for germination, it is necessary to arrange a hardening procedure for it - take the seedling out into the fresh air for two weeks. The sprouted seed is placed in the hole so that the root collar is at soil level. The seedling is installed, covered with soil and watered abundantly. Good watering involves using three buckets of water. In order for the plant to take root well, it is advisable to cover it with a paper bag.

Features of cultivation

The tree grows quickly if it is provided with favorable conditions. How to plant chestnut trees correctly? To begin with, the planting area is cleared of weeds. This should be a square of 50 by 50 cm. The plant does not like acidic, saline or waterlogged soils, so choose a planting site with sandy or chernozem soils, where groundwater does not lie closer than 1 m to the surface of the earth.

Sprouted nuts are planted in May, when the threat of return frosts has passed. The fruit is buried 5-7 cm, sprinkled with soil and moistened, followed by loosening. Be sure to put a mark next to it. In dry weather on sandy soils, regular watering of young seedlings is necessary throughout the dry season.

Over the summer, the seedling grows to 50-60 cm. Above in the photo is a horse chestnut in the first season after planting. The tree is unpretentious in cultivation, but in the first few years during severe winters it needs to be covered with non-woven material. The tree trunk circle is sprinkled with peat or fallen leaves, and the crown is wrapped in spunbond material, but only if there is a possibility of severe frosts; this does not need to be done in advance.

If the area where the tree is planted is really large, and the branched root system will not inhibit the growth of other plants, it is shortened. This is done on young seedlings by partially cutting off the main tap root. This gives an incentive to develop lateral shoots, which increases the tree’s resistance to strong winds and improves its nutrition.

This procedure also makes the crown thicker and more decorative. In hot regions where there is a high probability of prolonged heat with air temperatures of 30 ° C, seedlings are planted in partial shade to avoid burning of the leaves. Burnt leaves turn brown and dry out, significantly reducing the decorative value of the plant.

Horse chestnut is good because it is almost not damaged by insects and diseases. In a few years it grows into a full-fledged tree, the crown of which provides welcome shade in the summer heat. When grown far from the city, the fruits, inflorescences and bark can be used for medicinal purposes.

Seed propagation of chestnut

Chestnut reproduces by seeds and vegetatively, has strong shoot regeneration from the stump, and also produces root suckers. Among the methods of vegetative propagation, chestnut is propagated by layering of stump shoots and grafting.

Seed collection in chestnut forests is carried out in October and early November. A. V. Kalinina (1969) recommends sorting the collected seeds into healthy and damaged ones, as well as by size. At the same time, from 1 ton of fruits, 200 kg of large, 670 kg of medium and 130 kg of small are obtained. In terms of size, large fruits include nuts with a height of 2.5–3 cm, a width of 2.8–3.5 and a thickness of 1.5–2 cm. The following sizes (cm) are applicable to medium fruits: 2–2.5, 2 -2.8 and 1.2-1.5; for small ones - 1.5-2 and 0.8-1.2. Sorting seeds by size and weight before sowing is extremely desirable, since only large, healthy seeds can be used to grow well-developed seedlings and saplings.

The collected seeds must be sown in the same autumn, and for spring sowing they must be stratified in sand or peat or stored without stratification. In Transcarpathia, edible chestnut seeds are stored in the forest on dry areas, dug in with grooves to drain moisture. The seeds are covered with leaves and snow (Molotkov, 1966). Seeds can be stored in winter in the same way as acorns, layered with sand in trenches and holes or in baskets in running water. Small quantities of seeds are stored buried in the ground in boxes in damp sand.

N.I. Kaluzhsky recommended mixing the seeds immediately after collection in boxes with wet sand (1:3), closing them with lids, placing them in a hole on stands, then closing the hole and pouring earth onto it with a gable mound to drain surface water. Every 8-10 days, the pits and boxes are opened and the surface of the sand is sprinkled with copper sulfate powder to prevent the appearance of mold and rot.

In order to preserve the edible quality of chestnut fruits for a long time, they should be stored in plastic bags with a capacity of 1.15 kg at a temperature of -1 to +1 ° C and with carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration of 4-6%. The fruits in this case retain their quality for 150 days (Troyan et al., 1975).

M.V. Goltsev successfully stores chestnut seeds with sand in canvas or canvas bags, placed in a box with moistened sand.

A. A. Korkeshko (1975) recommends sowing chestnut seeds on the Black Sea coast to a depth of 2-3 cm. To protect against mice, corn grains treated with zinc phosphide should be scattered on the crops, and the crops should be covered with wooden shields from jays. With mechanized sowing at the Maikop timber plant, the depth of seed placement in autumn is 8-10 cm.

How to grow chestnut

On a personal plot you can grow one, or less often two, plants. Wood requires a lot of space. The root system spreads over a long distance and completely takes nutrients from the soil. It will not be possible to grow anything within a radius of 5 m from it. If there is a mass planting, then it is possible to grow trees 3 meters from each other.

Watering and fertilizing

Growing a healthy chestnut without regular feeding and watering is problematic. Watering is carried out until 4 years of growth, then this measure is not relevant. The root system completely nourishes the plant and supplies it with sufficient moisture. Fertilizing is carried out in early spring before the leaves form. Prepare the mixture for 20 liters of water:

• organic – 1 kg;
• phosphorus-potassium agent – ​​30 g;
• ammonium nitrate – 25 g;
• urea – 30 g.

The solution is applied at the root. In the fall, mulch with compost.

Trimming and shaping

The culture is unpretentious in care. To grow a chestnut with a beautiful crown, spring pruning is necessary. In order to prevent thickening and fungal infection, excess branches on chestnuts are removed. Young shoots are cut to ¼ length. They do sanitary cleaning, remove dry branches, shoots that have frozen over the winter, and last year’s plushes with nuts. Cut off the root shoots.

Preparing for winter

An adult chestnut does not require any preparatory measures for wintering. It will not be possible to grow young seedlings up to 3 years of growing season without shelter for the winter. Culture may die. To protect the roots in the fall, the root circle is mulched with straw or dry leaves. Supports are installed around the plant at the height of the crown, a tarpaulin or special covering material is pulled over them, and the trunk is wrapped in burlap.

Benefits and harms of fruits

Benefits of using the product:

1. Has a general strengthening and tonic effect.
2. Strengthens the skeletal system.
3. Improves metabolism.
4. Prevents the development of osteoporosis and arthritis.
5. Quickly quenches the feeling of hunger.
6. It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and improves mood.

Important!

Chestnuts should not be given to children under 4 years of age, and those who are overweight should eat them in moderation.

Chestnuts can also be damaged if:

• hypotension;
• disorders in the gastrointestinal tract;
• diseases of the circulatory system;
• diabetes mellitus

If the product is abused, it is possible:

• bloating and constipation;
• allergic reactions.

water chestnut

This is one of the most interesting and unusual plants. It attracts visitors with its leaves floating on the surface of the water. If you look closely, you can see a long stem that goes deep into the reservoir. Among the leaves above the water there are also black or dark brown nuts. The plant is found under the following names:

• water chestnut;
• chilim;
• water chestnut;
• damn nut.

The black aquatic fruits are protected by a woody shell, which has a fairly strong structure. If you open it, you will find a seed inside that has an interesting taste. The product contains many nutrients. therefore, it is beneficial for human health.

Fruit ripening occurs in autumn. At this time, black nuts fall from the stem and float on the surface of the water. From the outside they look like small rafts loaded with a rich harvest. By the end of autumn, if the nuts are not collected, then under their own weight they sink to the bottom, where they are fixed in the soil with the help of specific horns. Under favorable conditions and after the water warms up, the fruits germinate. This happens in the spring.

Water chestnut is especially beautiful in autumn. During this period, the leaves of the plant turn a purplish-red hue, which gives it an elegant look.

The water chestnut is found only in bodies of water where there is no strong current. There should be warm standing water here. Therefore, water chestnut most often grows in:

• Africa;
• Eurasia;
• India;
• less often in Ukraine and Russia.

Interesting!

Water chestnut fruits are distinguished by their unique composition. Therefore, chestnut is used not only as a food product, but also as a medicine. The main thing is to consult a doctor before starting treatment.

Description of the plant

The height of the chestnut can reach 30 meters, the trunk is straight, the crown is lush and spreading. The leaves are large in size and have a simple ornament; they are located opposite on long petioles. Flowering in May. The flowers are small, pink or white, collected in large inflorescences.

The fruits ripen in autumn. In horse chestnut they are inedible, but can be used as a medicine. At first the fruit looks like a green ball with spikes, but when fully ripe it opens and green nuts fall out. Inside the nut are flattened seeds.

Planting chestnut seeds

To create a real alley on your site, it is not necessary to buy a large number of seedlings. Growing chestnuts from seeds is quite simple. As the tree grows, it forms a thick and spreading crown, under which you can create a recreation area.

When planting an edible variety, the gardener must choose a place located away from roads and industrial enterprises. Chestnut has the ability to absorb harmful substances, so its fruits will be completely unsuitable for consumption.

Criteria for choosing a nut for planting

To germinate chestnuts from seeds, you will need to get nuts. Fruits growing on branches are not suitable for planting. Gardeners should only collect nuts that have fallen from the branches. The optimal time for collection is considered to be the end of September or the beginning of October.

After collecting planting material, it is recommended to inspect it. It is desirable that the nuts are dark brown in color with a smooth and glossy surface, and also do not have chips or cracks. If the surface of the nut is soft, then most likely it is rotten - such material is not suitable for planting.

Chestnuts should be collected under a massive tree. To grow as many trees as possible, you need to collect a lot of nuts, since out of 5 nuts, on average, only 2 germinate.

Pre-landing preparation

Collected fruits must undergo pre-planting preparation before planting. To begin with, the nuts are kept in moist soil. 2-3 months before planting, the soil is collected from the site and then kept in the oven for several hours. Thus, no fungal spores or various viruses remain in the soil.

After this, stratification begins. A container with thermally treated soil is placed in a cellar or basement. Residents of city apartments can place the container in the refrigerator, but not in the freezer.

Stratification helps even the weakest fruits to germinate. If the chestnut is planned to be planted in the spring, then the container is left in a cold room until the end of winter.

Before the onset of spring, the fruits are removed from the soil and placed in water. The gardener will need to check their condition every day. A soft shell signals that the nuts are ready for planting.

Germination of seeds

The stratification process always ends with the appearance of white sprouts on the nuts. As soon as this happens, you should prepare the container for planting and fill the bottom with a drainage layer. The soil mixture is laid on top of the drainage.

Sprouted chestnut nuts are planted no more than 2 cm deep. If you plant the seeds deep, the sprouts will begin to emerge too slowly. If you place them close to the surface, they will dry out and die over time.

There is another method for germinating chestnuts at home. Fruits collected in late autumn undergo natural stratification. This means that they can be collected and planted in clay pots in winter. In spring, sprouts can be transplanted into open ground. Before planting, tap roots should be trimmed to help strengthen the plant's root system.

Requirements for pot and soil

Chestnut fruits should be planted in a 0.5 liter container. If the gardener plans to plant several nuts, then the container should be much larger. In this case, you should wait until the sprouts appear and transplant the seedlings into different pots.

Holes must be made at the bottom of the containers for drainage. As for the soil, there are no special requirements for it. Soil can be purchased at specialized stores or collected from the site. At the time of planting, the soil should be well moistened.

Transplantation to a permanent place

Planting of sprouted fruits in open ground is carried out in late May-early June. The period is determined depending on climatic conditions and the region of planting. The most important thing is that spring frosts do not appear after planting.

Shortly before replanting, the plant begins to gradually harden off. To do this, the container is taken outside every day. The exposure time in the first few days should be no more than 4 hours. Every day the time is increased by 1-2 hours. When the container has been left outside for 24 hours, the plant will be ready to be transplanted into the ground.

Planting is carried out in the evening or in cloudy weather. It shouldn't be hot outside. During intensive growth, the tree should be provided with light. This means that high fences or buildings cannot be located near planted chestnut trees.

Healing properties of horse chestnut

Marina Kulikova , Candidate of Biological Sciences

Horse chestnut is native to Asia and the Balkan Peninsula. In Russia it grows only in plantings. The most common ornamental horse chestnut in parks and gardens is the common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum). The scientific name of the genus comes from the Latin word “esca” - “food”. Horse chestnut fruits are readily eaten by many animals, including deer and wild pigs.

Even in ancient times, folk healers advised people suffering from rheumatism to carry chestnut fruits with them, tying them to a sore spot. “If you have rheumatism in your arm or leg, take three chestnuts in your hands as often as possible, running them through your fingers,” recommended P. Sedir in his once popular book “Magical Plants.”

The famous doctor Parkinson (who first described Parkinson's disease) admitted in his book Paradise that he cultivated a chestnut tree in his garden and used various parts of the tree to treat many diseases. But the medicinal effect of horse chestnut was discovered only in 1896. A French doctor, whose name has not been preserved by history, prepared a chestnut tincture, which he successfully used to treat hemorrhoids. Soon they discovered the beneficial effect of chestnut on the entire vascular system. Since then, the scope of use of this plant has expanded significantly. The bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of chestnut are used in medicine.

The bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of chestnut are used in medicine.

The seeds are collected by hand in September–October at the moment of full maturity. Dry in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 60 ºС. The seeds contain saponin escin, flavonoids, tannins, vitamins B, C, K. The raw materials are stored for two years.

The bark of the branches is harvested in March–April, cutting it from 4–5-year-old branches. Dry in the oven at a temperature of 50–60 ºС. Coumarins, tannins, fatty oil and also saponin escin were found in the bark.

Flowers and leaves of horse chestnut are harvested during the flowering period (May–June) and dried in the shade, in a well-ventilated area. Leaves and flowers are rich in flavonoids, carotenoids, and glycosides. Store for no longer than one year.

Horse chestnut preparations also have anti-inflammatory, wound healing, hemostatic, analgesic, astringent, blood purifying, tonic and bactericidal properties.

In scientific medicine in our country, preparations from the leaves and seeds of horse chestnut are used. Its value lies in the fact that it contains substances that prevent increased blood clotting, the formation of blood clots, and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Medicines from horse chestnut also have anti-inflammatory, wound healing, hemostatic, analgesic, astringent, blood purifying, tonic and bactericidal properties.

The pharmaceutical industry produces drugs with chestnut extract. Esculin stimulates the antithrombic activity of blood serum. Escin reduces blood viscosity. Horse chestnut fruit extract slows down blood clotting. An extract from the bark (venostasin) is used for thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, etc.

In folk medicine, the bark of the branches, flowers and seeds have long been used to treat hemorrhoids, articular rheumatism, for diseases of the gallbladder and as a hemostatic agent for uterine bleeding.

The leaves of the plant are used to treat whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma, and also as a diuretic. For diarrhea, brew the seeds. Decoctions and infusions of horse chestnut are drunk as a sleeping pill and a sedative, as well as for prostatitis, gout, sciatica, and to relieve muscle cramps.

Horse chestnut perfectly purifies the air from exhaust gases.

You should not self-medicate. Before using horse chestnut preparations, you should consult a herbalist. Remember that overusing these drugs can cause bloating. Medicines from chestnut are contraindicated for stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and increased blood clotting. These medications should be used under medical supervision with monitoring of blood prothrombin. There are known cases of severe poisoning of domestic animals and children who have eaten horse chestnut fruits.

There are known cases of severe poisoning of domestic animals and children who have eaten horse chestnut fruits.

Recipes:

For arthritis, gout and salt deposits, use a tincture of flowers, which can be prepared in the spring and at home. To do this, you need to take 10 g of freshly picked flowers, separating them from the green base, crush and infuse with 100 ml of vodka in a dark place for a week, shaking occasionally. Strain and take the tincture 30 drops 3 times a day before meals for a month.

As a choleretic agent: pour 10 g of dry crushed chestnut flowers into a glass of hot water, boil for 30 minutes, strain. Then squeeze and bring to the original volume. Drink 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day after meals.

For diarrhea: pour 20 g of crushed bark with a glass of boiling water, bring to a boil, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 50 ml 3 times a day before meals.

For inflammation of the veins: pour 5 g of crushed raw material into 200 ml of hot water, boil in a closed enamel container in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain while hot, bring the volume to the original volume with boiled water. Take 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day after meals. The course of treatment is 2-8 weeks.

Chestnut honey

Bees collect nectar from the white flowers of the plant. There are spots on the white petals of the flowers: first yellow, then orange and finally carmine red. As the color changes, the smell emanating from the stains also changes. All these are signals for bees pollinating horse chestnut. Orange means there is little nectar left, and red means there is no nectar at all.

The taste of chestnut honey is unusual, slightly bitter. Horse chestnut honey is liquid, clear and usually colorless. It should not be left over the winter, as it easily crystallizes. Chestnut honey has a pronounced antimicrobial effect. Recommended for cardiovascular diseases and digestive disorders. It has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

Varieties of edible chestnut

There are about three dozen varieties of edible chestnut, the nuts of which can actually be eaten. We will tell you only about the most popular varieties, one of which you can plant in your dacha or near your house for culinary purposes.

Seeding chestnut

• Maximum height: 35 m
• Features of nuts: large, placed in a fluffy shell

The second name for the edible seed nut is European. This representative of the flora is capable of growing in one place for up to five centuries. This means that the tree you planted will see not only your great-grandchildren, but also more distant descendants. The large lanceolate leaves of this plant reach 30 cm in length. The crown is beautiful, lush, and shaped like an egg.

Chestnut fruits contain a huge amount of nutrients. Therefore, it is not surprising that 40% of the world’s nut harvest is eaten by residents of the Middle Kingdom.

Chinese softest chestnut

• Maximum height:15m
• Features of nuts: very tasty

Chinese soft chestnut nuts are a pure delicacy. They, like Piedmontese truffles, are famous for their excellent taste characteristics. The leaves of this chestnut are of the fine-toothed type. The branches are located quite widely, which is why the adult tree grows spreading and voluminous. The reverse side of the plant's foliage is covered with fine whitish hair. The inflorescences of a representative of the flora are located vertically relative to the ground and can be not only white, but also pink, yellowish and others.

Chinese chestnut has a higher caloric content of nuts than its European “brother”. 100 g of Chinese chestnut fruit contains 224 kcal.

Japanese chestnut

• Maximum height:15m
• Features of nuts: the largest of their kind (up to 80 g)

The second name for chestnut is crenate. The plant has an intensive development schedule and begins to bear fruit at the age of two to four years. The nuts of the crenate chestnut differ from the fruits of its fellows in their large size and are considered the largest among all edible chestnut varieties. This type of edible nut grows in Japan and Korea, but is cultivated in many other parts of the world.

The vitamin and mineral composition of edible chestnut nuts is similar to brown rice.

According to archaeologists and historians, people have been eating edible chestnuts since ancient times. Chestnut boxes in ash were discovered during excavations in different parts of Eurasia. This makes it possible to assume that in those distant times, edible chestnuts grew almost throughout the continent. The current situation is fundamentally different from the past state of affairs. However, you and I have something more valuable - the opportunity to grow a chestnut with our own hands in order to enjoy what has ripened under the sensitive guidance of a person.

How to use it and what to do with it?

Almost non-rotting chestnut wood is used in carpentry, construction and tanning, and based on the tree bark, decoctions and tinctures are prepared that promote :

• improving hair health and stopping hair loss;
• improving skin condition and complexion.

In addition, the plant is used in cooking and folk medicine.

In cooking

Tasty and nutritious chestnut fruits are eaten both raw and fried, boiled, baked, dried, and smoked. They can be seasoned with sugar or salt, and can also be used in various dishes:

• salads with vegetables or seafood;
• risotto;
• cakes, pastries and other baked goods;
• sweets;
• ice cream

Advice

Ground dried chestnuts are an excellent coffee substitute.

And also from nuts:

• prepare chestnut puree soup;
• make the filling for roasting poultry.

They are also served as a side dish for meat dishes and canned.

In folk medicine

1. The leaves of the plant, rich in vitamin K and tannin, are used to treat wounds and stop internal bleeding.
2. Flowers and tree bark, as well as young shoots containing essential oils and flavonoids, are used in the manufacture of preparations for the treatment of:
   nervous and endocrine systems;
3. atherosclerosis;
4. insomnia;
5. gastrointestinal diseases;
6. intoxication of the body;
7. of cardio-vascular system.
8. Horse chestnut fruits are used:
   to restore blood circulation;
9. for thrombophlebitis, varicose veins and hemorrhoids;
10. to remove trophic ulcers on the legs.

Australian chestnutspermum, or indoor chestnut: care, propagation, transplantation

Australian chestnut (Castanospermum australe), or indoor chestnut, is a plant of the legume family that grows in Australia. In nature, Australian chestnut-spermum is a 30-meter-tall tree that blooms in spring with large orange-red flowers.

If you take proper care of it, the plant can live in indoor conditions. The tree, grown at home, has a straight trunk with dark brown bark; oval, glossy leaves form a crown. Indoor chestnut does not bloom. The fruit of the plant is poisonous.

Australian chestnutspermum propagates by seeds, which during propagation are placed in a substrate consisting of part perlite and three parts river sand. For the seed to germinate, the air temperature must be maintained between +18 and +25 °C. The plant can be replanted when the first pair of leaves appears.

Young chestnutspermum should be planted in light soil, and then, when it becomes an adult plant, transplanted into denser soil, as its powerful root system requires this. For the same reason, the pot should be high and wide. Good drainage at the bottom of the pot is a must.

For replanting, you can purchase ready-made substrates for decorative foliage plants or for ficus. The main condition is the nutritional value and dark color of the substrate. Red-colored peat can cause problems for chestnutspermum. Indoor chestnuts should be replanted in the spring, young plants - every year, adult chestnutspermums - once every 2 - 3 years. Indoor chestnuts that have reached a large size can only be replanted once every four years, but the top layer of soil must be changed annually.

Indoor chestnut trees are suitable for bright, diffused lighting. The optimal place for its growth in a room is near windows facing east, since southern or western sunlight can cause the leaves to burn, and the plant will not have enough light near the northern window. Light spots on the leaves appear from excess light. Faded leaves on a plant are a sign that it does not have enough light.

In summer, indoor chestnuts can grow outdoors if protected from direct sunlight. In winter, you need to choose the brightest place in the room for it.

The optimal temperature for this plant in spring and summer is from +22 to +26 °C, in autumn and winter – from +18 to +20 °C. Temperatures below +10 °C are considered critical for indoor chestnut.

As a typical representative of the legume family, chestnutspermum requires moist air, so it is necessary to regularly spray the plant with water at room temperature, which it is advisable to pre-stand

It is especially important to do this in winter, when there are heating devices in the room, near which you cannot place an indoor chestnut tree. Otherwise, its leaves will dry out and fall off

In summer, the soil in the pot should be kept moist all the time.

In winter, you should water the plant carefully, first waiting until the top layer of the substrate dries. Overwatering and, as a consequence, acidification of the soil are extremely dangerous for chestnutspermum

Insufficient watering can cause the tips of the leaves to turn brown.

How to plant chestnut

Chestnuts are propagated by cuttings; a seedling can be grown from a nut. The plant is heat-loving, drought-resistant, grows only in the subtropical zone; growing the crop in regions with a temperate climate is quite problematic due to recurring spring frosts. In order for the tree to be comfortable on the site, you need to plant the chestnut tree correctly.

How to choose the right nut for planting

You can grow chestnuts from walnuts in the country if you purchase high-quality planting material. Seed requirements:

• The fruits must be ripe and have fallen from the tree on their own. Small unripe fruits will not sprout;
• the seeds are taken from a strong perennial plant;
• The nut must be hard and whole, without damage or dents.

When preparing planting material, take into account that out of 5 pieces only one nut can germinate.

How to plant walnut chestnuts at home

There are two ways to grow chestnuts from walnuts at home. Planting material is collected and stored until spring, then germinated and planted on the site. The second option is to bury autumn fruits in a hole; in the spring they will germinate on their own. Pre-growing chestnuts for spring planting:

1. The collected fruits are placed in a canvas bag and stored at a temperature close to zero.
2. In the middle of winter, high-quality nuts are selected for growing a tree, placed in a container, sprinkled with sand, and put on the balcony for hardening.
3. After 2 weeks, the container is brought into a warm room, during which time the seeds will sprout, the material without sprouts is thrown away.
4. Pour the nutritious mixture into small containers and deepen the nuts by 5 cm.
5. After 20 days, the first shoots will appear.
6. To ensure unhindered access of oxygen to the nuts, the ground is constantly loosened and watered as the top layer of soil dries out.

It is necessary to first grow walnut chestnuts in pots, then, when the soil has completely warmed up in the spring, place the seedling in a designated place, approximately planting will take place in early May.

Some species of the genus Chestnut

When choosing plants from the Chestnut genus, you need to take into account their winter hardiness. Not only temperature indicators are important here, but also the depth of soil freezing, thaw, and humidity. Edible chestnuts include:

• crenate or Japanese, withstands frosts down to - 20 - 25 degrees, bears fruit for 4 years, has many large-fruited varieties
• sowing or edible - can grow only in mild warm climates, begins to bear fruit in the 15th year
• American serrated is one of the most frost-resistant species; it can be recommended for cultivation in regions where winter temperatures drop to 27 degrees below zero; it begins to bear fruit from 18 to 20 years of age
• low-growing - cold-resistant and drought-resistant species, can grow as a shrub 2-3 meters high

In addition to the above species, there are many hybrids and varieties that are quite successfully cultivated in regions with temperate climates. Chestnuts are real long-livers, they live from 300 to 1000 years. By planting it in the garden, you can hope that the fifth or sixth generation of descendants will see the fruits of your labor.

Video about the chestnut root system: