About
Aesculus hippocastanum 'Hampton Court Gold' is a sizable, deciduous tree characterized by its expansive, rounded canopy. In the spring, its palmately-lobed foliage begins as a soft yellow, transitioning to a greenish-yellow by summer and ultimately to a golden-yellow in the fall. The tree produces white blooms featuring a yellow blotch, which are succeeded by spiny green seed capsules that mature to a brown hue.
About the genus
Aesculus consists of deciduous trees or sizable shrubs featuring prominent flowers and leaves that are lobed in a palmate arrangement. In some cases, they also exhibit appealing colors in the fall.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, East-facing, South-facing, North-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Trees
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- Higher than 12 metres
- Spread
- wider than 8 metres
- Time to full height
- 20-50 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, Wildlife gardens
- Toxicity
- Humans/Pets (dogs): harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in deep, fertile, moist but well-drained soil in sun or part shade; leaves may burn in full sun. A large tree so only suitable for large gardens
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1
- Propagation
- Propagate by hardwood cuttings from early to midwinter or by chip budding from mid to late summer
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to horse chestnut scale and leaf-mining moth
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to coral spot, canker, leaf spot and honey fungus