This spring term, I learnt more about the tree that is found so ubiquitously around the University of Waterloo campus: the horse chestnut tree.
The horse chestnut tree is planted in many locations around campus, and I believe that there are at least 5 of them. I remember being very curious in first year what type of tree this was, since the nut shell is especially pointed, and the inside of the nut looked familiar.
Despite looking very similar to an edible chestnut, the horse chestnut contains a poison called esculin.
According to (WebMD), consuming the horse chestnut can cause muscle twitching, weakness, vomiting, depression, paralysis, and potentially even death. For this reason, it is important to avoid mistaking these horse chestnuts for the consumable chestnut.