Aesculus × carnea
Encyclopedia
Aesculus × carnea or Red Horse Chestnut is an artificial hybrid between the Red Buckeye
(A. pavia) and the Common Horse Chestnut (A. hippocastanum). The origin of the tree is not known, but it probably first appeared in Germany
before 1820. The hybrid is a medium-size tree to 20-25 m tall, intermediate between the parent species in most respects, but inheriting the red flower color from A. pavia. It is a popular tree in large gardens and parks.
Red Buckeye
Aesculus pavia, known as Red Buckeye or Firecracker Plant, is a species of deciduous flowering plant. The small tree or shrub is native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States, found from Illinois to Virginia in the north and from Texas to Florida in the south...
(A. pavia) and the Common Horse Chestnut (A. hippocastanum). The origin of the tree is not known, but it probably first appeared in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
before 1820. The hybrid is a medium-size tree to 20-25 m tall, intermediate between the parent species in most respects, but inheriting the red flower color from A. pavia. It is a popular tree in large gardens and parks.
Cultivars
- 'Briotii' (named in 1858 to honor Pierre Louis Briot, the nurseryman at Trianon-Versailles near Paris, France) This is the most commonly seen cultivarCultivarA cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
which has 10-inch tall, deep rosy flowers and matures as a smaller tree. - 'O'Neil', which produce larger (10-12 inch) panicles with brighter red flowers.
- 'Fort McNair' (named from where it was selected) it has dark pink flowers with yellow throats and resists leaf scorch and leaf blotch.
- 'Pendula'Aesculus (Carnea Group) 'Pendula'Aesculus 'Pendula, or Weeping Red Horse Chestnut, is a weeping tree and a cultivar of the Aesculus Carnea Group, the Red Horse Chestnut Group, which is a cultivar group of artificial hybrids between Aesculus pavia and A. hippocastanum...
with arching branches. - 'Plantierensis' which has intense rose pink flowers with yellow throats and does not set fruit, which makes it less messy.