''Aesculus indica'', commonly known as the Indian horse-chestnut or Himalayan horse chestnut, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

broad-leaved tree A broad-leaved, broad-leaf, or broadleaf tree is any tree within the diverse botanical group of angiosperms that has flat leaves and produces seeds inside of fruits. It is one of two general types of trees, the other being a conifer, a tree with n ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Sapindaceae.

Description

''Aesculus indica'' is a tree growing to with a spread of about . It is hardy to , USDA zones 7–9.Aesculus indica Fact Sheet ST-63 http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/aesinda.pdf It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are hermaphroditic and with plentiful white blossoms during May and June pollinated by bees. Its large leaves long by wide are also ornamental and the mature tree forms a round canopy.

Distribution

It is common along the Himalayan Lowlands, between Kashmir and Western Nepal at elevations between 900 and 3,000 metres.Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 8(2), April 2009, pp. 285-286. Ethnobotany of Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica) in Mandi district, http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/3963/1/IJTK%208(2)%20285-286.pdf In the British Isles it is popular in many parks and estates where it was introduced in the mid-19th century. It is also found in many parts of the US. The commercial collection of its seeds for flour production seems to have impacted on the natural distribution of this species.

Uses

Its leaves are used as cattle fodder in parts of Northern India. Its seeds are dried and ground into a bitter flour, called ''tattawakher''. The bitterness is caused by

saponin Saponins (Latin ''sapon'', 'soap' + ''-in'', 'one of') are bitter-tasting, usually toxic plant-derived secondary metabolites. They are organic chemicals that become foamy when agitated in water and have high molecular weight. They are present ...

s, which are rinsed out by thoroughly washing the flour during its preparation. The flour is often mixed with wheat flour to make chapatisPlants and people of Nepal, By N. P. Manandhar, Sanjay Manandhar, Pg. 76 and also to make a halwa (Indian sweetmeat) and sometimes is served as a ''dalia,'' (a type of

porridge Porridge is a food made by heating, soaking or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal ...

gruel Gruel is a food consisting of some type of cereal—such as ground oats, wheat, rye, or rice—heated or boiled in water or milk. It is a thinner version of porridge that may be more often drunk rather than eaten. Historically, gruel has been a ...

) during fasting periods. It is used in traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of various skin diseases and rheumatism, as well as functioning as an astringent, acrid, and narcotic. Additionally, it is employed to alleviate headaches. Its large leaves and flowers make it suitable for use as large-sized bonsai. In the UK, the cultivar 'Sydney Pearce'’ has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q573132 indica Plants used in bonsai Flora of Afghanistan Flora of the Indian subcontinent Medicinal plants of Asia Ornamental trees Garden plants of Europe