Buckeye trees, scientifically known as Aesculus, are a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs belonging to soapberry family (Sapindaceae). These trees are predominantly found in the eastern and central regions of the United States. Its natural range is primarily in the Midwestern and lower Great Plains regions of the United States, extending southeast into the geological Black Belt of Alabama and Mississippi. It is also found locally in the extreme southwest of Ontario, on Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair.
The name “buckeye” comes from the Native American term “hetuck,” meaning “buck eye” or “eye of the buck.” This term was used to describe the tree’s nut, which has a light tan circle on a dark brown surface, resembling a deer’s eye.
The leaves of the buckeye tree are arranged in a palmate fashion, offering a picturesque silhouette, especially during the autumn season when the leaves transition to warm hues. The flowers of the buckeye tree are showy, panicle-like clusters that are yellow-green in color. The fruit of the buckeye tree is a smooth, round capsule, and the seeds inside are toxic.
Buckeye trees have palmate leaves, flowers that bloom in panicle-like clusters, and fruits. The flowers of Buckeye tree, are yellow-green and appear in spring, while the fruits are smooth, round capsules containing seeds that are toxic. The leaves are arranged in a palmate fashion and during the autumn season when they transition to warm hues.
The most well-known buckeye species is the Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra), also known as the fetid buckeye, Texas buckeye, or horse chestnut. It’s a tree native to North America that can grow up to 70 feet tall. The Ohio buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, and the term “Buckeyes” is used to refer to Ohioans in general as well as to the sports teams and players of the Ohio State University. In fact in Ohio where the tree is most common, holding a buckeye nut in one’s pocket is considered a sign of good luck.
Native American tribes, including the Pomo, Yokuts, and Luiseño, used the poisonous nuts and seeds of the Buckeye to stupefy schools of fish in small streams to make them easier to catch. They also occasionally used the plant as a food supply, boiling and leaching the toxin out of the seeds or nut meats for several days before grinding them into a flour or meal similar to that made from acorns.
List of Buckeye Trees
- Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
- California Buckeye (Aesculus californica)
- Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava)
- Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
- Texas Buckeye (Aesculus glabra var. arguta)
- Painted Buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica)
- Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
Description & Pictures
Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
The Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra), also known as the fetid buckeye, Texas buckeye, or horse chestnut can grow up to 70 feet tall with a broad oval-rounded crown. Its leaves are palmately compound, emerging in spring as bright green, each with five spreading ovate-oblong leaflets to 3-6 inches long.
In spring, the tree produces showy, greenish-yellow flowers in upright clusters called panicles.The tree produces spiky, brown capsules containing shiny, brown seeds – the buckeyes – which ripen in late summer. These fruits are a food source for wildlife but are poisonous to humans and animals. In the fall, Ohio Buckeye leaves turn golden yellow to red-orange before dropping.
All parts of the Ohio Buckeye, particularly the flowers, bark, and twigs, emit an unpleasant odor when bruised. This is why it’s sometimes called the “fetid buckeye.”
California Buckeye (Aesculus californica)
The California Buckeye (Aesculus californica), also known as California horse-chestnut, is a large shrub or small tree native to California and southwestern Oregon. It is the only buckeye species native to California and is known for its large, palmately compound leaves with five (rarely seven) leaflets. The tree typically grows up to 4-12 meters (13-39 feet) tall with a crown as broad as it is high. It has gray bark often coated with lichens and mosses.
The California Buckeye blooms in late spring to early summer, producing upright, piston-like inflorescences with white or pinkish flowers. The flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees, but are toxic to honeybees. The tree produces a smooth, pear-shaped, leathery capsule with 1-3 large, brown, shiny seeds, each with a pale scar resembling a “buck’s eye.”
This tree is adapted to the Mediterranean climate of California, growing during the wet late winter and spring months and entering dormancy in the dry summer months. It prefers moist, well-drained soils and can be found in a variety of habitats, including valley margins, oak savannah, chaparral openings, and mixed evergreen forests.
Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava)
The Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava), also known as the sweet buckeye or common buckeye, is native to the eastern United States, specifically the Ohio Valley and Appalachian Mountains. It is the largest of the buckeye trees, growing up to 80 feet tall with a spread of 30 to 50 feet. The tree has an oval to rounded crown and is known for its attractive yellow flowers that bloom in late spring.
The leaves of the Yellow Buckeye are palmately compound, with five to seven leaflets that are dark green and turn yellow or orange in the fall. The flowers are borne in erect panicles, which are 6 inches long and have a greenish-yellow color. The fruit of the Yellow Buckeye is a smooth, pear-shaped capsule that contains one to two buckeyes.
The bark of the Yellow Buckeye is gray-brown and becomes scaly with age. The wood of the tree is lightweight and is used in the production of furniture, crates, boxes, and artificial limbs.
Yellow Buckeye is a hardy tree that can grow in a variety of soil types, including rich soils on river bottoms, stream banks, and mountain slopes. It is also tolerant of shade and can grow in full sun to partial sun.
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
The Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), also known as the firecracker plant grows to a height of 10-20 feet and has an irregular, rounded crown. In the spring, it produces showy, erect panicles of red to orange-red, narrow-tubular flowers that are 4-10 inches long.
The Red Buckeye has a rounded habit. Its dense canopy is formed by brilliant dark green leaves, each one a compound of 5-7 narrow leaflets. As summer progresses, these glossy leaves transition to a more subdued green on the underside. The leaves usually drop by the end of summer.
The flowers are red, tubular, and borne in upright clusters 6-10 inches long. They bloom in early spring and are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. The flowers are followed by smooth, light brown fruits about 2.5 cm in diameter. The fruits contain one to three shiny brown seeds.
Red Buckeye grows best in moist, well-drained soil and prefers full sun to part shade. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and pH levels, and can even tolerate occasional flooding or drought. It is a relatively low-maintenance plant, but may experience leaf scorch in hot, dry conditions.
Texas Buckeye (Aesculus glabra var. arguta)
The Texas Buckeye (Aesculus glabra var. arguta) is a small, multi-trunked tree native to Texas and other parts of the central United States. It is a variety of the Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra), and is distinguished by its smaller size and narrower leaflets. The Texas Buckeye grows to be 10-25 feet tall, but can reach up to 50 feet in ideal conditions.
The Texas Buckeye has palmately compound leaves with 7-9 (sometimes 11) leaflets. The leaflets are lanceolate, meaning they are long and narrow with pointed tips. They are also sharply toothed. The flowers of the Texas Buckeye are creamy white to light yellow and appear in terminal clusters after the leaves emerge. The fruit of the Texas Buckeye is a leathery capsule with blunt spines that contains one to three large, shiny seeds.
The Texas Buckeye is a unique tree that thrives in riparian environments and prefers partial shade. It is a part of the rich biodiversity of Texas and has been a subject of interest among naturalists and plant enthusiasts.
The Painted Buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica)
The Painted Buckeye also known as the Dwarf Buckeye, is a small, deciduous shrub or tree native to the southeastern United States. It grows to be 10-20 feet tall, but can occasionally reach heights of 30 feet.
The Painted Buckeye has attractive palmate leaves that consist of five leaflets. Each leaflet can be 4.5 to 6 inches long and 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide. The leaves emerge in early spring, often with a reddish tint, and mature to a green color. They turn yellow in the fall before dropping in September.
The flowers are borne in upright clusters that are 4 to 6 inches long. The individual flowers are typically yellow, but can sometimes have tinges of red. They bloom in the spring, from March to April. It produces a brown, leathery fruit that splits open in the fall to release shiny, brown seeds. These seeds are toxic and should not be eaten.
The Painted Buckeye is found in moist, rich woods and along stream banks. It is native to an area stretching from southern Virginia to Georgia, west to Tennessee and Alabama.
Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
The Bottlebrush Buckeye also known as the small-flowered buckeye is native to the rich woodland areas in Alabama, Georgia, and northern Florida, with a disjunct population in South Carolina along the Savannah River. Its natural habitat is in mesic forests, on bluffs and in ravines.
The Bottlebrush Buckeye grows 6-12 feet tall. It has a mounded shape and forms thickets as it suckers from the base. The branches of the shrub are picturesque, ascending, and candelabra-like, with the lowest branches being horizontal and often resting on the ground. The leaves emerge bronze in spring, mature to a dark green in summer, and then turn an attractive yellow in fall.
The Bottlebrush Buckeye is prized for its spectacular blooms of erect white flower panicles that resemble a bottle brush, hence its name. The flowers bloom for weeks in early to mid-summer and are a delight to hummingbirds and butterflies. The flowers are followed by tan-brown, pear-shaped fruits.
Gathering Buckeye Seed
All buckeye trees produce their distinctive seeds in summer. The seed pods look like fleshy green or beige fruit with large brown nuts inside. The seeds are ready for sowing once they drop to the ground, which typically happens in late summer. Look for seeds with a shiny, unblemished seed coat and avoid those with gouges or other signs of damage. All parts of the buckeye tree are toxic, so wear gloves when handling the seeds and keep the seeds out of the reach of children and pets to avoid accidental poisoning.