Aesculus mutabilis Induta

Aesculus x mutabilis 'Induta' is a charming small ornamental chestnut tree, absolutely perfect for small gardens but also well suited for pot cultivation to decorate the terrace. This deciduous small tree is more of a bush, compact and nicely rounded, offering a spring flowering in the form of dark pink to salmon candles, certainly ephemeral but very ornamental. Its elegant foliage, similar to that of the chestnut tree, is however finer, much lighter and tinged with bluish reflections, composed of fine leaflets, with a satin-like finish. Quite accommodating, this small tree prefers fresh to moist soils, low in limestone and partial shade.

Aesculus x mutabilis 'Induta' is a horticultural hybrid obtained in 1905 in Germany, yet little known and planted in our gardens. Its mother is the Aesculus sylvatica, very compact, native to the Appalachian forests of the U.S.A., and its father is called the Aesculus pavia, native to the southeast of the United States. This small bushy chestnut tree, 2.25m (7ft 5in) tall and 2m (6ft 7in) wide, is perfectly hardy. With a rather slow growth, it has a rounded, compact habit and forms a bush, dense, almost as wide as it is tall. Its large branches produce smooth, non-sticky buds. Its deciduous leaves, 15cm (5.9in) wide, are divided into 5 elliptical and oblong leaflets, with a lime green colour with bluish reflections. Their undersides are slightly lighter and very pubescent. They turn beautifully yellow or pinkish-orange in autumn. The first inflorescences, in the form of small upright panicles, bloom from late May to mid-June, for 1 to 2 weeks depending on the climate. The small flowers, very abundant, are dark pink to salmon in colour, with salmon colour due to the presence of small yellow areas at their tips. The flowering is followed by the formation of oval fruits, 3cm (1.2in) long. The trunk of this small tree is covered with a smooth, dark grey bark.

Aesculus x mutabilis 'Induta' adapts to any deep soil, remaining fresh and humus-rich, preferably not too limestone, in sunny or partially shaded positions. It can be used as a specimen tree but also in a mass planting of bushes or perennial plants, with peonies or daylilies for example. It forms a beautiful combination in acidic soil with a blue-flowered Hydrangea, a large rhododendron, in ordinary soil with Hydrangea quercifolia,  Neillia affinis and Cotinus 'Royal Purple' for example.