Aesculus chinensis - Chinese Horse Chestnut

Habitat

Exposition

Plein soleil ou mi-ombre

Humidité

Humidité moyenne.

Sol

Tous sols. Nécessite un sol drainant.

pH

Sol acide ou calcaire

Rusticité

Zone 6

Habitat originel

Mountains of Szechwan[178]

Origine géographique

E. Asia - N. China.

Dangers connus

• The seed is rich in saponins .
• Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm .
• Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans .
• They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water .
• Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them .
• However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins .
• Les saponines sont beaucoup plus toxique pour certains animaux, comme les poissons; des tribus de pêcheurs en ont traditionnellement mis de grandes quantitié dans les rivières et les lacs pour droguer ou tuer les poissons [K].

Comestibilité

• Graines - cuites .
• It can be dried and ground into a powder and used as a gruel .
• The seed is quite large, it can be 3cm in diameter, and is easily harvested .
• Unfortunately it is also rich in saponins, these must be removed before it can be used as a food and this process also removes many of the minerals and vitamins, leaving behind mainly starch .
• See also the notes above on toxicity .
• The following notes apply to A. californica, but are probably also relevant here:- .
• .
• The seed needs to be leached of toxins before it becomes safe to eat - the Indians would do this by slow-roasting the nuts (which would have rendered the saponins harmless) and then cutting them into thin slices, putting them into a cloth bag and rinsing them in a stream for 2 - 5 days [213].

Usages médicinaux

• The seed is antirheumatic and emetic [178, 218].
• The sweet tasting seed is said to be used in the treatment of contracted limbs that are due to palsy or rheumatism [178, 218].
• It is also used in the treatment of stomach aches [218].

Autres usages

• Saponins in the seed are used as a soap substitute [169].
• The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water .
• This water can then be used for washing the body, clothes etc .
• Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts [K].

Culture

• Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy [11].
• Plants grow best in eastern and south-eastern areas of England, probably needing a continental climate in order to thrive [11, 200].
• Although the trees are very hardy when dormant, the new growth can be damaged by late spring frosts [11].
• Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large [11].

Propagation

• Seed - best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe [11, 80].
• The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather [130].
• The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out .
• Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable [80, 113].
• It is best to sow the seed with its 'scar' downwards [130].
• If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer .