Horse Chestnut

Today's the day .......................... for tree talk

Aesculus hippocastanum - or the Horse Chestnut - perhaps gets its name from the fact that the leaf stalks leave a scar on the twig when they fall, which resembles an inverted horse shoe with nail holes.

This association with horses could explain why conkers used to be ground up and fed to horses to relieve them of coughs.  Chestnut trees grow to a height of around 40m, and can live for up to 300 years.   They are not native to the UK but introduced from Turkey in the late 16th century.   They are rarely found in woodland - but are a common sight in parks, gardens, streets and village greens.

This one - which is flowering magnificently at present - is to be found on Kendal Green ......................