HORSE CHESTNUTS

Description

Profile: Aesculus hippocastanum is a big blooming tree native to southeast Europe. It's a popular street and park tree. The horse chestnut, or buckeye tree, produces huge non-edible nuts that resemble sweet chestnuts. Infusions, extracts, and topical therapies use horse chestnuts.

Details: The horse chestnut tree grows 80 feet tall with 5 to 7 leaf clusters and white blossom spikes. Hippocastanaceae. No one agrees on the tree's name. When the tree was introduced to Britain from the Balkans in 1616, the Turks fed the seeds to their ill horses. The tree is grown for ornamental purposes in municipalities, private gardens, parks, and roadways. The edible chestnut is in the oak family, not the horse chestnut family. The U.S. horse chestnut market is new. It's Germany's third-best-selling herbal product after ginkgo and St. John's wort.

When applied externally, the nut is superior to the leaf and bark. Whole nuts are poisonous and should only be applied externally by a professional.

NOTICE: DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT IF PREGNANT OR NURSING.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.