Aesculus × carnea
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.
Cultivars
- 'Briotii' (named in 1858 to honor Pierre Louis Briot, the nurseryman at Trianon-Versailles near Paris, France) This is the most commonly seen cultivar 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' with arching branches.[1]
- 'Plantierensis' which has intense rose pink flowers with yellow throats and does not set fruit, which makes it less messy.[2]
References
- ^ Govaerts, R., Michielsen, K. & Jablonski, E. (2011). Untraced Weeping Broadleaf cultivars: an overview. Belgische Dendrologie Belge 2009: 19-30.
- ^ Roth, Susan A. (2001). Taylor's guide to trees. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 408. ISBN 978-0-618-06889-0. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618068899.