Chestnut trees in Victoria St, Cambridge die under unexplained circumstances

The horse chestnut (left) and the sweet chestnut will be removed from Cambridge's Victoria St roundabout at the top of Lake Te Koo Utu. Photos / Supplied

More than 100 trees across the Waipā district were destroyed or severely compromised by Cyclone Gabrielle in mid-February, and now Cambridge is going to lose two more trees.

The two high-profile trees, a horse chestnut and a sweet chestnut, are estimated to be 50 years old and are located near the Victoria St roundabout at the top of Lake Te Koo Utu.

Neither tree came into leaf this summer and Waipā District Council now confirmed both trees have died under unclear circumstances.

Council arborists say the death of the two trees was “not common” but there’s no indication of what caused the trees to die. The arborists suspect a series of long hot summers have taken a toll on the trees.

Weather permitting, both trees will be removed on April 20. Replacement trees will be planted in autumn or winter when they have a better chance of surviving, the council says.

There hasn’t been a decision on what species the replacement trees are going to be, but the council says they will be large-growing trees to provide shade and match other trees in the area.

The sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is native to southern Europe but has been widely cultivated throughout other warm-temperate climate regions.

When cultivated, it can reach a very large size, with a trunk of more than 6m in diameter. The sweet chestnut is a long-living species, and some examples are estimated to be more than 1000 years old.