Damask Red Horse Chestnut - Aesculus x carnea 'Plantierensis'

Damask Red Horse Chestnut - Aesculus x carnea 'Plantierensis' [1]
Hippocastanaceae: Buckeye Family
Damask Red is renowned, and named for its luscious pink and scarlet springtime blossoms. Hardy in Zones 5-7 [2]
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This hybrid of Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus pavia has very large, dark green leaves composed of five to seven leaflets, and will ultimately reach a height and spread of 30 to 40 feet.

Although deciduous, Red Horsechestnut does not produce any appreciable fall color and is well-suited for use as a specimen. The tree is quite striking with dark green, coarse-textured foliage. Pyramidal in shape when very young, Red Horsechestnut develops slowly into a round, very dense shade tree by five to seven years of age, and is outstanding in the landscape for its beautiful pringtime display of blossoms. The multitude of pink to bright scarlet blooms appear on erect, eight-inch-long panicles at each branch tip and are quite attractive to bees and hummingbirds. The prickly, rather messy, poisonous seedpods appear in fall.

DESCRIPTION
Height: 30 to 45 feet
Spread: 30 to 45 feet
Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more or less identical crown forms. Crown shape: round; pyramidal
Crown density: dense

Foliage
Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite. Leaf type: palmately compound. Leaflet margin: serrate. Leaflet shape: oblanceolate. Leaflet venation: pinnate. Leaf type and persistence: deciduous. Leaflet blade length: 4 to 8 inches. Leaf color: green. Fall color: no fall color change.

Flower color: pink; red, pale yellow with bright yellow centers. Flower characteristics: spring flowering; very showy. [2]

Damask Red Horse Chestnut
At 45 years old, this Damask Red is about 25 feet tall and 30 wide.

USE AND MANAGEMENT
Leaf and flower litter in the summer and fall may be objectionable to some people since the leaves are large and decompose slowly. The nuts make good food for wildlife but you may not want it scattered along city streets. They can make great ammunition for throwing at moving objects, windows and other people so locate it accordingly. Makes a great median street tree when provided with some irrigation during drought.

Red Horsechestnut will grow in full sun or light shade and prefers moist, well-drained, acid soils but grows in slightly alkaline soil. Plants are moderately tolerant to drought, wind, and salt and resist the heat of the south very well. It holds up well in urban areas, even in restricted and compacted soil spaces. Red Horsechestnut appears to be less susceptible to disease than either of the parents. Trunk bark may crack when exposed to the direct sun so keep it shaded as much as possible by leaving lower branches on small trees and don’t over-prune the tree, exposing the trunk suddenly to direct sun. [2]

Damask Red Horse Chestnut Foliage and Blossoms
These gorgeous blooms are a must-see in the Buckeyes section on the Morton Arboretum's east side.

Pests and Diseases
No pests or diseases are of major concern. Red Horsechestnut is much less susceptible to leaf scorch and leaf blotch than Aesculus hippocastanum, and should be planted in its place. [2]

References

Damask Red Horse Chestnut, Morton Arboretum acc. 520-65*2, photographed May 10, 2010 by Bruce Marlin
Edward F. Gilman & Dennis G. Watson, USDA Forest Service Fact Sheet ST-65 "Red Horsechestnut" (.pdf)

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