Every autumn, to the delight of squirrels and children and to the dismay of homeowners and street sweepers, the stately horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) sheds not only its leaves, but also hundreds of large, soft outer coatings containing hard, dark brown nuts.The nuts are actually a valuable herb used since the 1500s in Germany and France. Originally, it was used as a treatment for persistent fever and, later, to treat hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and phlebitis.A native of the … [Read more...]