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Are horse chestnut trees protected?
Ravaged by moths and disease, the horse chestnut is now classified as vulnerable to extinction. The tree is among more than 400 native European tree species assessed for their risk of extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Can you cut down a chestnut tree?
Chestnut trees grow just fine without pruning – up to 48 inches per year – but that doesn’t mean that cutting back chestnut trees is a waste of time. Chestnut tree pruning can keep a tree healthier, create a more attractive tree and increase nut production. Pruning chestnut trees is not difficult.
How long does a horse chestnut tree live?
300 years
Horse chestnut trees can live for up to 300 years and, at their largest, can reach heights of 40 metres with 2 meter wide trunks.
When can you prune a chestnut tree?
When to Start Cutting Back Chestnut Trees Most chestnut tree pruning should take place in winter when the trees are dormant. If you are pruning to shape the tree or to limit its height, do it on a dry day in winter. Pruning back a broken or diseased branch shouldn’t wait for winter, however.
How far do the roots of a horse chestnut tree spread?
Table below shows the Minimum Distance from property and Maximum root spread recorded
| Beech | Fagus | Min – 9.0 metres |
| Ash | Fraxinus | Min – 10.0 metres |
| Horse Chestnut | Aesculus | Min – 10.0 metres |
| Elm | Ulmus | Min – 12.0 metres |
| Maple & Sycamore | Acer | Min – 12.0 metres |
Do you need to trim a horse chestnut tree?
The horse chestnut tree does not tend to send out vigorous shoots that require a high degree of control which mean only light pruning is needed. The main aim of pruning a horse chestnut tree is to eliminate diseased or damaged branches.
What does a horse chestnut tree look like?
Horse chestnut ( Aescuclus hippocastanum ) is a non-native deciduous tree whose name is derived from the mark left on twigs after the foliage has fallen, which looks much akin to an inverted horseshoe. Aesthetically, the tree is known for its large white flowers. These give way to conkers, large brown spine-covered nuts.
What’s the problem with horse chestnut trees in the UK?
Horse chestnuts have been hit by two potentially life-threatening diseases. The first is bleeding canker: bacteria infects the bark, cutting off the water supply to the crown. The other involves a relatively new pest to the UK: the leaf-mining moth, originally from the Balkans.
Why are the leaves on a chestnut tree called Horseshoes?
When a leaf drops, the scar left on the tree is shaped like a horseshoe. The scar also contains seven marks around the edge that look like the nails of a horseshoe. Another possible reason for the name is that it was once thought (mistakenly) that horse chestnuts helped cure horses of chest complaints and made their coats shiny.