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European Horsechestnut

Aesculus hippocastanum

Found in urban and suburban areas, perhaps not definitely naturalized, but fairly often planted as a street tree and escaping as seedlings in the vicinity of plantings. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

-30
Harmful

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 71%

Height
50–75 feet
Spread
40–70 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Dry to moist
See native alternatives

Do not plant. Listed invasive in West Virginia.

Plant this instead

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  • Black Oak
    Quercus velutina

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Northern Red Oak
    Quercus rubra

    Sun: Partial sun, Full sun. Soil: Low, Moderate. Flowers: Yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Southern Red Oak
    Quercus falcata

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Dry to average. Flowers: Yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

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At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
May

County records are not available.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

35CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Aesculus

  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips rileyanaSouthern Ugly-Nest Caterpillar Moth
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Show all 35
  • Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Egira alternansAlternate Woodling
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Epiglaea declivaSloping Sallow
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Isa textulaCrowned Slug
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane baileyiBailey's Pinion
  • Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
  • Lithophane joannisBuckeye Pinion
  • Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Proteoteras aesculanaMaple Seed Caterpillar, Maple Twig Borer
  • Psaphida rolandiRoland's Sallow
  • Pseudexentera spolianaBare-Patched Leafroller
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Trigrammia quadrinotariaFour-Spotted Angle
  • Olethreutes monetiferanum
  • Olethreutes ochrosuffusanum
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Sapindaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–7b
Flower color
Yellow, red or white

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources