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Indian Horse Chestnut (Aesculus indica)

Tree
Pavia indica.
View Images of Indian Horse Chestnut (Aesculus indica)
Common Name Latin Name Plant Family
Indian Horse Chestnut
Aesculus indica
Hippocastanaceae

Saponins in the seed are used as a soap substitute[169]. The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water. This water can then be used for washing the body, clothes etc. Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts[K].

Wood – soft, close grained. Used for construction, cases, spoons, cups etc[145, 146, 158].

  • Medicinal Use

    The seed is astringent, acrid and narcotic[272].

    An oil from the seed is applied externally in the treatment of skin disease and rheumatism[240, 243, 272]. The juice of the bark is also used to treat rheumatism[272]. A paste made from the oil cake is applied to the forehead to relieve headaches[272].

    The seed is given to horses suffering from colic[240, 243]. It is also used as an anthelmintic on horses to rid them of intestinal parasites[272].

  • Edible Use

    Seed – cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a gruel[2, 63, 145, 146, 158]. The seed is roasted then eaten in Nepal[272]. It is also dried then ground into a flour and used with wheat flour to develop the flavour when making bread[272]. The seed is quite large, about 35mm in diameter[194], and is easily harvested. Unfortunately it also contains toxic saponins and these need to be removed before it can be eaten. The seed is used as an emergency food in times of famine when all else fails[177]. It is dried and ground into a powder, this is then soaked in water for about 12 hours before use in order to remove the bitter saponins and can be used to make a ‘halva'[194]. It is estimated that mature trees yield about 60kg of seeds per annum in the wild[194]. See also the notes above on toxicity.

  • Cautionary Notes

    The seed is rich in saponins[20, 65]. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Cultivation & Habitat

Seed – best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[11, 80]. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather[130]. The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable[80, 113]. It is best to sow the seed with its ‘scar’ downwards[130]. If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy[1, 11, 200]. Succeeds on chalk[11]. Dislikes dry soils[11]. This species does very well in south-west England, growing best in areas where the minimum temperatures do not fall below about -5¡c[200]. Young shoots in the spring can be cut back by late frosts in low-lying districts[11, 126]. Trees cast quite a dense shade[194]. Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large[11].
E. Asia – North-western Himalayas.

Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.

*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.

As with ALL things; Take only what resonates with your heart and higher self, and leave the rest behind.

Repository of Divination tools, News, Elements, Spells, Rituals, Clearings, Entities, Ascension; Kitty is a magpie at heart, gathering information trinkets from everywhere and sharing them here in hopes that some might shine a light on your journey in this Incarnation. Please only take what resonates with your heart and leave the rest behind. Tionscadal Mo Chroi (Project of my heart) Lovingly curated by Kitty, bean draío leabharlannaí (Librarian Witch)

  • For any question, you can cast a handful or bag of Runes and read the meaning of the runes that land face up only.
  • You may cast them into a circle (drawn with chalk or as a pattern on a cloth). Read the runes that land inside the circle AND face up.
  • If The Eye (Witches Rune) or Tiwaz (Elder Futhark) appears amongst the runes when cast, pay extra attention to where the eye is looking or Tiwaz is pointing.
  • Pro Tip: You can also use runes just as you would the Tarot, with ANY tarot spread. Simply pull one at a time from your bag to fill the layout.

*while Witches’ and Elder Futhark are different sets of runes, (just as English and Gaelic are different languages) I use mine together;  my rune casts are “bilingual”. I have made the same choice in my online rune layouts. Alainn Tarot interactive includes both sets at the same time. 

These are plants that grow in my own yard or elements that I keep in stock personally, gathered in a single category for my own quick navigation.