What's eating my aesculus × carnea 'briotii'?

Aesculus × carnea 'Briotii' (red horse chestnut) is somewhat less affected by horse chestnut leaf miner than the common horse chestnut but is not immune. Aphids colonize shoot tips in spring, and deer browse young trees. Its denser hybrid constitution gives it marginally better resilience, but leaf miner remains the most commonly reported ornamental nuisance.

Blotch mines that cause browning and early leaf fall from midsummer; less severe than on Aesculus hippocastanum but still visible. Remove and dispose of all fallen leaves in autumn to reduce overwintering pupae; pheromone traps to catch adults.

Sticky honeydew dripping from leaf undersides in spring; colonies cause leaf curl and can check young shoot growth. Jet of water or insecticidal soap spray; natural aphid predators typically restore balance by early summer.

Browsing of young shoots and antler fraying on young bark, particularly in autumn and winter. Spiral guards or wire mesh around trunk and main scaffold branches for the first few years.