Common name: gewone paardenkastanje (NL), kastanjebeam (falske) Kristusdoarn (Fryske), Horse Chestnut (EN)

Native range: Central Balkan Peninsula to Turkey

Pollination: Bees

Seed dspersal: Animals

Conservation: Vulnerable (IUCN, last assessed 2017). Population trend decreasing.

The gewone paardenkastanje is found along some of the streets in Leeuwarden. It has one famous appearence in the dutch art scene as the subject in one of Van Gogh paintings.

The flowers appear in April and are white with yellow stripes that attract honey and bumble bees, this lines later turn orange which repels them to avoid self pollination. The seeds appear in September and are poisinous.

USES:

• Dye
• Soap
• Ornamental
• Medicinal

The leaves…

The flowers…

References and more information at:

Plants for a future

Plants of the World (Kew Botanical Garden)

European Atlas of FOrest tree species

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