Horse Chestnut (Conker) Sapling Trees

Aesculus Hippocastanum Saplings

Delivered by Mail Order Direct from our Nursery with a Year Guarantee

The Horse Chestnut or Conker Tree, Aesculus hippocastanum, is a big, spreading, round headed parkland tree with great flowers. It will grow on any well drained soil.
Horse Chestnut is not suitable for a clipped hedge.
It can be grown as a screening tree up to about 35 metres high. It is a good, tall windbreak tree.
The plants on this page are young saplings. You can also buy larger Horse Chestnut trees here.

See our selection of native hedging plants or view our full range of hedging.

Horse Chestnut saplings are only delivered bareroot, during winter (Nov-March).
All of our young trees and shrubs are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

General description of Aesculus hippocastanum:

This is a large and vigorous tree that grows very well across Britain, apart from on the coast or exposed sites in Scotland. It has dense, dark green leaves with 5-6 spear head shaped lobes and in early summer it erupts with tall, thick cones of flowers which are beautiful to look at close up, each little flower resembling a papery little orchid. The autumn colour is yellow with burnt brown edges. The flowers mature into spiky, green seed balls that contain beautifully smooth, polished conkers.

History & uses of Aesculus hippocastanum:

Horse chestnut trees grow well in the city and provide plentiful nectar for bees. They have dense, shaggy canopies that make an effective windbreak and block out light during the summer.

Notes on planting Horse Chestnut:
Horse Chestnut will grow in any soil with decent drainage. They are pretty hardy, but they won't do well on exposed sites in the North East and Scotland.
Do not plant a horse chestnut tree closer than 30 metres away from a house or wall.

Prepare your site before planting:
It is good to dig over the area where you intend to plant several months in advance. Destroy the weeds first: nettles, brambles and ground elder are tough. Then dig the soil over; remove rocks, roots and other rubbish. Mix in well rotted compost or manure down to the depth of about 2 spades.
If you have a heavy clay soil, it might be too difficult to dig over for most of the year. Heavy clay is fertile soil, so you don't really need to improve it; killing the weeds is still necessary.

Remember to water establishing plants during dry weather for at least a year after planting.

Planting accessories:
Prepare your site for planting by killing the weeds and grass.
If you are planting in an area with rabbit and/or deer, you will need to use a protective plastic spiral for each plant, supported by a bamboo cane.
If your soil quality is poor, we recommend using mycorrhizal "friendly fungi" on the roots of new trees and shrubs.
You can also improve your soil with bonemeal organic fertiliser.

After Care

After you plant your Horse Chestnut saplings, the most important thing to do is water them in dry weather. You will also need to weed around the plants. Both of these will be necessary for at least a year after planting.
Water thoroughly but not too often: let the soil get close to drying out before watering your plants again.

Special notes on caring for Horse Chestnut:
Horse Chestnut is a very tough plant that shouldn't need special attention once it has established. If pruning is necessary, it is best do it in winter. Always hire a tree surgeon to remove large branches.

Hygiene & Diseases:
Dead, damaged or diseased wood can be pruned off as soon as it appears.
Disinfect your pruning tools between every cut if there is any sign of disease.
Burn or dispose of any diseased material, do not compost it.
Horse Chestnuts can be affected by bleeding canker and leaf blotch.

After you plant your Horse Chestnut saplings, the most important thing to do is water them in dry weather. You will also need to weed around the plants. Both of these will be necessary for at least a year after planting.
Water thoroughly but not too often: let the soil get close to drying out before watering your plants again.