Japanese Horse Chestnut
Herb latin name: Japanese Horse Chestnut,Japanese Horse Chestnut Extract
Latin name: Aesculus turbinata
Family: Hippocastanaceae (Horse-chestnut Family)
Habitat of the herb: the herb: Mountains, especially in ravines, all over Japan. In deciduous forests, especially in moist slopes along streams. Other uses ofHabitat of the herb: the herb: Mountains, especially in ravines, all over Japan. In deciduous forests, especially in moist slopes along streams.
Other uses of Japanese Horse Chestnut: Saponins in the seed are a soap substitute. 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. Wood - weak, nicely grained. Used for house fittings, domestic items etc.
Propagation of the herb: Seed - best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather. 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. It is best to sow the seed with its "scar" downwards. 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.
Cultivation of Japanese Horse Chestnut: Mountains, especially in ravines, all over Japan. In deciduous forests, especially in moist slopes along streams.
Medicinal use of the herb: None known
Known hazards of Aesculus turbinata: The seed is rich in saponins. 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.
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