plant of the month: horse chestnut
The stately, majestic horse chestnut must be one of the most recognisable trees, all year round, with its distinctive ‘hand’ shaped leaves, candelabra flower spikes and, of course – autumn’s abundant conker harvest.
Collect all the conkers you can find to try the ideas in this month’s article – and of course, don’t forget to actually play conkers! It’s a childhood rite of passage. There are so many ways to enjoy conkers… read on!
Fact file
Myth, magic and culture
Some horse chestnut have a basis in truth: the chemicals in the conkers can be extracted and used as medicine for horses, as well as an ingredient in starch that was used in the preparation of armaments in the Second World War in order to avoid using food crops. The centre of conkers can also be crushed up and made into washing detergent, and you may well see them promoted in eco-products.
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