Horse chestnut trees.

[carrust]

I've been to London over the weekend & noticed all the horse chestnut trees are shedding their leaves. Is it something to do with the drought, or is it something more sinister ?

[gardenknowin]

It could well be something more sinister - apparently (according to the DT) there is a new strain of a virus akin to Dutch Elm disease which is hitting our horse-chestnuts. No more conkers....?? (But then in our manic politically correct society, conkers are forbidden, aren't they?!) Shame about the trees though.

[Thunderbird+]

Hi carrust,
Its also possible that the trees you saw are suffering from a leaf mining moth (cameraria ohidella) Wonerful name!
The larvea of the moth mines as it feeds between the leaf surfices, which makes the leaves turn brown and shrivel, resulting in early leaf fall, giving the whole tree an autumnal appearance. All the Best Tbird+

[carrust]

Thankyou gardenknowin &tbird. The park I was walking round had something like a third of its total trees infected. I only hope that it's not terminal,as in the case of dutch-elm disease some years ago.