Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a deciduous tree in the Sapindaceae family native to the Balkans of southeastern Europe. It bears large hand-shaped leaves, white flower spikes, and shiny brown seeds known as conkers, while the seeds and bark are the parts most often mentioned in traditional herbal practice.
In Western herbal traditions, horse chestnut became known primarily for carefully prepared seed extracts and topical products. Because the raw seeds and other parts of the tree are not edible plant material, horse chestnut is a herb that requires especially clear safety notes.
