Horse chestnut — hoodie

Horse chestnut

Aesculus Hippocastanum

The horse chestnut is native to Balkan forests, and came to Poland in the 17th century. Its seeds - popularly known as chestnuts are not only a favorite food of many animals. Who among us did not play with chestnuts as a child?

Chestnut trees have spectacular palmately compound leaves, consisting of 5-7 leaves, which adds to the trees majestic character. The chestnut tree's creamy white flowers, gathered in panicles, are up to 30 centimeters tall and please the eye as early as early May. It is planted mainly in urban areas, in parks, along roadsides, as an ornamental and shade tree. It is also used as a medicinal, cosmetic and honey plant.However, since the end of the 20th century, the health of chestnut trees has been seriously threatened by the chestnut-borne hornet butterfly. Its feeding causes the trees to re-bloom in autumn. For the tree, this is a huge effort, which weakens them and exposes them to frost. As a result, many chestnut trees die. The threat has assumed such great proportions that a national Chestnut Tree Protection Program has been established.