Wildlife & Flora
Horse Chestnut
Horse Chestnut (Aeschulus indica) is a wildlife & flora sighting recorded around Kimrong Danda, Kimrong Khola, Tilche.
- Scientific name
- Aeschulus indica
- Local name
- Naru
- Category
- Wildlife & Flora
Found in the wet temperate forests of the western Himalayas, usually in moist depressions and ravines. These trees grow upto 20 m high and its leaves are quite distinctive as they consist of between 5 to 9 leaflets arising from the top of a long red stalk. This tree also has some medicinal values as well. The seed is used for treating swollen veins, diarrhea, fever and enlarged prostate. The leaves are used for treating swollen veins, menstrual pain, soft tissue swelling from bone fractures and sprains, cough, joint pains. The bark is also useful as it's used for cure of malaria and dysentery and some people also apply it to skin for treating skin ulcers. On the other hand horse chestnut contains significant amount of poison called esculin and can cause even death when eaten raw. Therefore, be cautious for you have been warned! Besides, the beautiful nature of the trees means that it serves as a very good decorative element.
