red buckeye

Plant Type

Small Tree/Large Shrub (10-25 ft)

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

10-25 ft. tall
10-20 ft. wide

Tolerant of

Deer, Occasional Flooding

Propagation

By seed, By cutting

Plant Propagation Notes

No pretreatment is necessary to germinate seed. Planting should be done immediately after collecting. Seed breaks down quickly due to a high fat content.

Plant Planting Notes

Provide up to 10 ft spacing.

Plants/Diseases

Susceptible to leaf blotch.

Wildlife Benefits

Nectar/pollen source for pollinating insects, Nectar source for hummingbirds

Leaves

Glossy compound leaves are oblong and serrate.

Flowers

Showy red tubular flowers in spring.

Fruit

1-3 inch brown capsule seed pod.

Bark

Grey-brown bark. May develop scaly patches.

Toxicity

Seeds and young shoots are poisonous to humans if eaten.

USDA Hardiness Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Light Exposure

Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture

Medium, Moist

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Acidic (less than 6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Wet calcareous habitats including floodplains, hardwood bluffs, blackwater rivers, and maritime forest.

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Secure (G5)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Common in the South Carolina coastal plain and sandhills. Rare in the piedmont. Absent from the mountains.

Subspecies

Aesculus pavia var. pavia

Aesculus pavia var. flavescens