Conkers are seeds of the European horse-chestnut tree. This tree is tall, broad, and widely planted in parks and gardens. In spring, rows of horse chestnuts will provide a wonderful display of ‘candles’ – large, upright flower spikes ranging in colour from white to deep pink. In autumn, the tree will shed its spiny-cased seeds, which open to reveal shiny, smooth, mahogany seeds

Conkers contain a poisonous chemical called aesculin, so cannot be eaten by humans or most animals, including horses, from which the tree gets its name. However, some species such as deer and squirrels eat them, as they are a great source of fat and protein.

You may have heard that conkers are a great deterrent for spiders if placed in a bowl on a windowsill or in a corner of a room. This has not been scientifically proven, however, fresh conkers placed in a wardrobe are a great natural deterrent for cloth-munching moths!

The traditional game of conkers was first recorded on the Isle of Wight in 1848. Since then, adults and kids alike have looked forward to Autumn to find their game-winning conkers. To find your own, look for those that have fallen to the ground, and are unblemished. The harder the conker, the better!

To play you will need to make a small hole through the middle of your conkers. Thread pieces of string around 50cm long through the holes, tying the string at both ends. Two players will then take turns to try and smash their opponent’s conker as it is dangled in front of them at arm’s length – the first person to succeed wins!