It turns out that these "chestnuts" are not the chestnuts we eat. Their name is Ma Li. Chestnut, also known as horse chestnut, is a common street tree species in Europe. Its fruit is similar to chestnuts and sweet chestnuts, but its shell is not so prickly, thick and soft. Aesculus belongs to Sapindaceae, Aesculus belongs to Thymus. The seeds of aesculus chinensis can't be eaten directly, because it is fatal to eat directly. Before eating, it needs to be boiled with alkali water, which tastes like chestnuts. Starch can also be extracted. Fine wood can be used to make various utensils, seeds can be used as medicine, and oil can be used to make soap. Aesculus aesculus is a precious ornamental tree species for foliage, flowers and fruits, and it is one of the world-famous ornamental trees.
Chestnut seeds contain toxins that the human body cannot decompose and resist, and direct consumption will lead to death. So you can't eat it. It contains a lot of saponin called aescin, which is a toxin that destroys human hemoglobin, but squirrels and deer can resist this toxin, so they can be eaten. It's different from chestnuts or chestnuts in China. Although it seems so. It is widely used as a street tree in Europe, and squirrels and horses can eat its seeds safely.
But aesculus can be used as medicine and wood. Leaf buds can be used as tea drinks, skins and roots can be used as soap, leaves and flowers can be used as dyes, seeds can be extracted with starch, pressed with oil and eaten after processing. It tastes like chestnuts and can be used as medicine, which has the effect of calming the nerves, regulating qi and killing insects. Wood is light in texture and can be used for papermaking, carving, making furniture and handicrafts. Therefore, walking on the streets of Europe, you will often see chestnuts everywhere, but no one cares.