2006-11-06 07:30:38 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Other - Social Science
They are called horse chestnuts precisely because they can eat them but we can't. To distinguish them from the (less common) chestnuts that we do eat.
2006-11-06 22:25:26 · answer #1 · answered by MBK 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Any part of the horse chestnut tree is poisonous to humans if not processed correctly. Do no eat the conkers. However the conkers of the sweet chestnut tree are edible and taste good when roasted. They are often in the shops around Christmas. The outer husk of a sweet chestnut tends to be spiky whereas a horse chestnut is smooth with little knobbly bits.
The leaf stalks leave a scar on the twig when they fall, which resembles an inverted horse shoe with nail holes. This association with horses could explain why conkers used to be ground up and fed to horses to relieve them of coughs, and could be the origin of the tree s name.
2015-04-06 01:41:12 · answer #2 · answered by Suzanne 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to what I've read even horses don't eat horse chestnuts because of their poison, but parts can be medicinal topically if crushed. I like the description above "The leaf stalks leave a scar on the twig when they fall, which resembles an inverted horse shoe with nail holes."
2016-09-15 14:25:32 · answer #3 · answered by Barbara 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dude h ell no u can not eat horses chestnuts its off of their leg. Im not sure what its there for but dude dont eat it(yuk:() IM not sure why its called a horse chestnut
2006-11-06 07:54:59 · answer #4 · answered by DLF'N'GRL 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋