Buckeyes & Horse Chestnuts

Aesculus

A genus ( tribe ) of about 15 trees native to North America, Europe and Asia, petrified fossils have also been found in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.. They all have palmately compound leaves and non edible fruits that are contained in large seed capsules.
The Buckeyes prefer full sun and deep, fertile, moist, well drained soil.
Most Buckeyes are unbothered by deer, floods, ice, salt, windy sites and severe storms. Buckeye leaf scorch ( not all species are prone ) is due to the trees inability to absorb and transport from the roots to the leaves enough water to compensate for water transpired from the foliage. Thinning the canopy may sometimes help.
Young trees should be pruned to a single leader and feathered. Eventually you want a clear trunk to 12 feet in height on the larger species. Pruning is best done in winter.
Buckeyes should either be planted from seed sown fresh in permanent location and protected from rodents by wire mesh; or moved while small. If not planted immediately during autumn, the seeds require 4 month stratification at 40 F except for the California Buckeye which needs no stratification. The Buckeyes do not transplant well and must be moved while small.
The named cultivars are grafted in late winter.

* photo taken on Apr 14 2013 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 7 2019 @ Univ. of Maryland, College Park

Aesculus assamica ( Assam Buckeye )
A large tree reaching 80 feet to a maximum of 100 x 30 feet with a trunk diameter of 3 feet. It is native to the mountains of northern Vietnam.
It has very large 7 oblong leaflets ( up to 15 x 5 inches ) and smooth fruit.
Hardy north to zone 8 and is known to reach up to 50 feet in southern England.

Aesculus californica ( California Buckeye )
A medium sized, long lived, fast growing, spreading tree to 40 feet native to mountain woods of central California. Some records include: growth rate - 3 feet; 8 years - 20 feet; 20 years - 30 feet ( average ); largest on record - 70 x 80 feet with a trunk diameter of 6.4 feet. One of the largest known trees grows at Walnut Creek, California. The California Buckeye lives up to 100 years.
The foliage is downy when young, becoming glossy, deep blue-green above & gray-green below. The 5 ( rarely 4, 6 or 7 ) stemmed, oblong leaflets are up to 7 x 2 inches.
The leaves drop off early as a drought protection mechanism where no rain falls in summer. They will leaf out the following year; in the British Isles it usually keeps its leaves into fall. Occasional deep watering is recommended for trees in California to keep a lush canopy all summer long.
The fragrant, creamy white ( sometimes rose-pink tinged ) flowers are borne in cylindrical panicles up to 10 inches in summer.
The flowers attract butterflies.
The fruits are pear shaped up to 3 inches; they contain only 1 glossy brown seed.
The bark is whitish or pale gray and thinly scaly to almost smooth.
Hardy zones 6 to 10 ( northern populations tolerating -15 F or possibly colder ) and tolerates hot summers better than most Aesculus.
Not commonly grown in the east but is reported to survive in southern Michigan.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photo taken by Jean Pawek @ CalPhotos

* historic archive photos

'Canyon Pink'
Mid pink flowers, otherwise similar.

Aesculus x carnea ( Red Horse Chestnut )
Also Aesculus x carnea 'Briotii'. A hybrid between Aesculus hippocastanae & A. pavia originating in Germany almost 200 years ago. Reaching up to 50 feet or more; some records include: 3 years - 6 feet; 8 years - 20 feet; largest on record - 130 x 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 4.5 feet. The Red Horse Chestnut is long lived up to 200 years.
The foliage is deep green. The 5 or 7 sharply toothed, obovate leaflets reach up to 10 or rarely 12 inches in length.
The flowers are deep red-pink with yellow blotches, borne in erect panicles up to
12 x 4 inches in mid spring.
The fruits are smooth shelled and up to 1.5 inches in size, containing up to 3 seeds.
The bark is reddish brown.
Much better adapted to hot summer climates than A. hippocastanae but also grows well in cool western Europe. Hardy zones 2 to 8, it thrives in Ottawa, Ontario harsh climate. This Buckeye does grow true from seed.

* photo taken on May 5 2010 in Clarksville, MD



* photo of unknown internet source

* photos taken on June 19 2023 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

* photo taken on July 10 2023 @ Collingwood Arboretum, Collingwood, ON

'Fort McNair'
Handsome deep green foliage that is disease resistant, even as far south as Virginia and does not scorch. Grows 50% faster than average for Aesculus x carnea.

* photo taken on Apr 24 2016 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

'O'Neil Red'
A rounded, medium to large-sized tree reaching up to 70 feet.
The intense red flowers are borne on panicles up to 12 inches in length.

'Plantierensis'

* photos taken on Apr 23 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Jul 18 2017 @ Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, ON

* photo taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on July 10 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Aesculus chinensis ( Chinese Buckeye )
The Chinese Buckeye is a fast growing relative of the Horse Chestnut and Ohio Buckeye. It grows up to 4 feet per year though averaging about 66 feet in 50 years and may eventually reach a maximum size of 100 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter up to 6 feet. This eastern China native enjoys hot summers and cold winters and is scorch and disease resistant making this rare tree an excellent shade tree for much of eastern North America. It is hardy from zone 5 to 8.
The leaves are composed of 5 to 7 leaflets each reaching up to 10 ( rarely over 7 ) inches. The very attractive foliage is deep red-purple at first, during spring turning glossy mid-green in the summer. The leaves turn to scarlet-red during autumn.
The flowers look like the Ohio Buckeye and are in long clusters up to 16 inches long.
Hardy zones 4 to 8



* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.



* photos taken on Apr 17 2016 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on Sep 3 2017 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photo taken on Aug 4 2021 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

Aesculus glabra ( Ohio Buckeye )
A fast growing, dense canopied, medium to large sized tree to 50 feet or more that is native to the midwest and eastern U.S. ( from eastern Nebraska to central Iowa to northern Illinois to southern Michigan to Wapole Island, Ontario to Erie, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia, PA; south to central Texas to far northern Georgia. It is endangered in Nebraska, Ontario, Georgia and Mississippi. In Ontario; the only remaining native stands are at Wapole Island though it previously also occurred on the Lake Erie islands over 100 years ago as it has and still does occur naturally on the Ohio shore. It was abundant on the Ohio shore during the 1800s. Some records include: growth rate - 3 feet; 8 years - 20 feet; 10 years - 33 x 23 feet; largest on record - 150 x 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 5.1 feet. Some very large trees are known to grow at Dunnville, KY and Adrian, MI Largest known Canadian trees are on Lakeshore Road near Niagara Falls, Ontario & Yarmouth Twp, Elgin Co. ON. It is also known to reach 50 + feet in Ottawa, Ontario at Dominion Arboretum. Long lived up to 125 years.
The leaves are composed of 5 leaflets are up to 5 x 2 or rarely 8 x 3 inches in size. Among the first of all trees to leaf out in spring.
The foliage turns very attractive in the fall.
The greenish yellow flowers are borne in wide, pyramidal panicles up to 6 inches long in mid spring.
The rounded fruits are up to 2 inches wide and are spiny unlike that of the Yellow Buckeye
The light gray bark is thick and deeply fissured.
Hardy zones 2 to 7 tolerating -33 F or possibly colder. Tolerant of shade and floods.
Prefers soil PH from 5 to 7
The Ohio Buckeye even grows well in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada making for an excellent prairie tree far north of its native range.
It does grow smaller in the Dakotas with a maximum 50 x 40 feet which is still good considering how few trees actually thrive there.
Despite hot humid summers in its native range; the Ohio Buckeye does grow vigorously and large in western Europe.
Difficult to transplant unless very small due to deep taproot. Leaf blotch can be serious during extended drought to occasional deep watering is recommended during the summer. Ohio Buckeye gets the same fungal disease as Aesculus hippocastanae, though disease resistant selections are available.
The State Tree of Ohio; the Ohio Buckeye was once common in Ohio but is now rare due to destruction of Ohio's forest.

* photo of unknown internet source

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photo taken by W.D. Brush @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photos taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC



* photo taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.


* photos taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario



* photo taken on August 4 2010 @ Stratford, Ontario

* photo taken on Aug 20 2011 in Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Aug 18 2013 in Columbia, MD

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E., et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook

* photos taken on July 11 2014 in Washington, DC

* photos taken on July 16 2016 in Goderich, ON

* photos taken on Jul 18 2017 @ Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, ON

* photos taken on Jul 19 2017 @ Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON

* photos taken on May 9 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

* ohio buckeye in St Thomas, ON

* ohio buckeye in Detroit, MI

* ohio buckeye in Madison, IN

* ohio buckeye in Detroit, MI

* photos taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey PA

* photos taken on Aug 23 2021 in Goderich, ON

* photos taken on July 8 2022 @ Woodlands Arboretum, Clinton, ON

* photos taken on July 8 2022 in Goderich, ON

* photo taken on Oct 17 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 10 2023 @ Collingwood Arboretum, Collingwood, ON

* photo taken on June 19 2023 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

* historic archive photo

subsp. 'Arguta' ( Texas Buckeye )
A compact form, reaching up to 25 feet or very rarely 50 x 35 feet with a trunk diameter of 1.6 feet.
It bears cream colored flowers.
Leaves consist of 7 to 11 very narrow leaflets up to 5 x 1.8 inches in size.
Native to rich woods west of the Mississippi River ( eastern Neb. to Iowa; south to central Texas to w Arkansas ) and is exceptionally drought tolerant. Hardy zones 4 to 8 but rarely seen in the landscape. It has proven hardy at Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa, Ontario.

* photos taken on Jul 19 2017 @ Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON

* photos taken on Aug 30 2021 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

'Fall Red'
Intense red fall color.

'Homestead'
Fast growing hybrid Buckeye growing around 20 inches per year to 13 x 15 feet in 10 years. Clean disease free foliage turns to spectacular long lasting orange-red in the fall.
Very well adapted to North Dakota.

'Lava Burst'
A moderate growing, upright, oval to pyramidal, compact tree, reaching an average size of 28 x 18 feet at maturity. It is useful as a street tree and as a shade tree for small lots. It was developed for cold climates by the North Dakota State University.
The attractive bright green foliage turns to intense orange-red during autumn.
The creamy-yellow flowers are borne on panicles up to 5 inches in length.
Hardy zones 3b to 6. It has superior resistance to leaf scorch and is very tolerant of high PH soils.

'Prairie Torch'
Hardy north to zone 3a. Scarlet autumn color.

'Purple Haze'
rich purple spring leaves last for a month

Aesculus hippocastanum ( Horse Chestnut )
A large spreading tree up to 100 feet in height and 5 feet in trunk diameter, that is native to mountain woods in northern Greece and Albania. While very rare in its native range; it has been planted abundantly in northern Europe since the 1500s, and has sometimes naturalized in western & central Europe. It is also locally naturalized in the Great Lakes region of North America to as far north as Sault Ste Marie and Tobermory, Ontario. Some records include: growth rate - 5 feet; 20 years - 47 feet; 273 years - trunk diameter of 7 feet; largest on record - 165 x 120 feet with a trunk diameter of 8 feet. The best growth seems to be obtained in the British Isles and Germany. A tree of 110 feet is reported to grow in Harford County, MD and in Canada huge trees are known to grow in Bayfield and west of Leamington, Ontario.
One tree with a 6.7 foot diameter is reported from Maine. The Horse Chestnut can live up to 400 years.
The foliage is palmately compound with 5 or 7 sharply-toothed, obovate leaflets. The leaflets are very large, up to 12 x 5 inches in size. The foliage appears very early in spring and turns to deep green during summer then to yellow or rarely red in November in areas where leaf scorch isn't a problem.
The creamy-white flowers with red or yellow basal blotches are borne during late spring in conical, upright panicles up to 12 inches in length.
The fruits ( Conkers ) are round and prickly with up to 3 glossy brown seeds.
The nuts can be prepared as animal feed by crushing them and soaking in water for 24 hours before boiling in fresh water for 30 minutes.
The bark is red-brown and scaly with long thin plates.
Hardy zones 3 to 7; it even grows as far north as Edmonton, Alberta and Trompso, Norway ( north of the Arctic Circle ). The Horse Chestnut is a very hardy tree tolerating hard pruning, pollution and windy sites.

* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.


* photo taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario

* photo taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos of unknown internet source





* photo taken on Aug 2 2012 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos taken on Aug 4 2013 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photos taken on July 16 2016 in Bayfield, ON

* photo taken on Jul 19 2017 @ Major's Hill Park, Ottawa, ON

* photos taken on July 14 2018 in Bayfield, ON

* Aesculus hippocastanum in Wheatley, ON

* Aesculus hippocastanum in Lasalle, ON

* photos taken on July 12 2019 @ Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI

* photos taken on Aug 22 2021 in Bayfield, ON

* Aesculus hippocastanum in Ovruch, Ukraine

* photos taken on July 7 2023 @ Bayfield, ON

* photos taken on July 3 2024 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Wash DC

* historical archive photos

'Baumannii'
Double flowers, otherwise very similar to above

Aesculus indica ( Indian Buckeye )
Much better adapted for the Pacific Northwest and western Europe than the hot humid East; in ideal climates this spectacular Himalayan native grows fast and huge. The Indian Buckeye can reach 100 feet with a very dense, tall, oval crown and some records include: fastest growth rate - 4 feet with 0.8 inch trunk diameter increase; first year - 2 feet; 5 years - 16 feet; 20 years - 60 x 40 feet; 50 years - trunk diameter of 2.6 feet; largest on record - 150 x 70 feet with a trunk diameter of 13 feet. It can grow very large in England.
With 7 ( rarely 5 ) large, toothed, oblong leaflets, up to 15 x 5 ( rarely over 10 x 3 ) inches, this Buckeye's leafs out orange-pink turning to glossy deep green. The foliage stays green very late into the fall before finally turning to orange ( mid November in Seattle ).
The Indian Buckeye blooms a month after the related Horse Chestnut. The pyramidal flower panicles are huge, up to 16 x 5 inches and are white with either yellow or red tinge.
The fruits are pear shaped and brown and contain up to 3 seeds.
The bark gray and smooth; peeling in long narrow strips, up to 2 feet long, with age.
Hardy zones 6 to 9, the species is easy to grow from seed planted on permanent site. It requires an average yearly rainfall of 28 + inches requiring a cool humid temperate climate.

* photo taken on Febuary 2009 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photos taken on Apr 17 2016 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on June 20 2016 in Columbia, MD

* historic archive photo

* photo taken of seedling on Oct 17 2017 in Columbia, MD

'Sydney Pearce'
Sturdy and very vigorous.

* photo taken on Sep 3 2017 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

Aesculus octandra ( Yellow Buckeye )
Also called Aesculus flava. It is a fast growing, large, tall oblong crowned tree to 75 feet, native to fertile valley woodlands in central and eastern U.S. from southern Illinois to northern Pennsylvania; south to northern Alabama and Georgia. Some records include: growth rate - 4 feet; largest on record - 155 x 82 feet with a trunk diameter of 7.9 feet; longest lived - 410 years. One extremely large tree grows on Gabes Mountain Trail in Smoky Mountain NP. Another giant in Perryville, West Virginia is reported to be 100 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 7 feet across its widened base. Trees as tall as 175 feet have been reported in old growth forests.
The Yellow Buckeye is a long lived tree. With a very dense canopy; this makes for an excellent shade tree and is among my favorite of all trees. It looks great in every season!
The 5 or 7 leaflets are up to 10 or rarely 12 x 5 inches.
The foliage is typically luxuriant, verdant, bright green in spring however can be bronze-purple very early. The Yellow Buckeye is one of the very first trees to be in full leaf in the spring.
The disease free foliage is deep green in summer and turns to spectacular orange- red in autumn.
The yellow flowers are borne in erect panicles up to 7 x 3 inches in late spring.
The rounded fruits are smooth surfaced and up to 3 inches across. Enclosed are 2 seeds up to 1.5 inches each.
The bark is brown, fissured and peeling in large smooth scales.
The wood weighs up to 25 pounds per square foot.
Hardy zones 2 to 8; it even grows as far north as Saskatchewan. Despite hot humid summers in its native range; the Yellow Buckeye does grow vigorously and large in western Europe. Unfortunately this Buckeye is not a big fan of urban pollution.

* photos taken on April 7 2010 in Columbia, MD











* photos taken on April 23 2010 in Howard County, MD




* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.

* photos taken on July 17 2010 @ Morris Arboretum, Philly, PA


* photo taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.

* photo taken on Oct 17 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 15 2013 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Oct 17 2013 in Harford Co., MD

* photos taken on Oct 31 2013 @ Hampton National Historic Site, Towson, MD

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photo taken on July 11 2014 in Washington, DC

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photo taken on May 21 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 9 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 11 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 14 2019 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Oct 14 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 26 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 4 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 29 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 10 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 20 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 27 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 6 2021 in Howard County, MD

* photos taken on Feb 11 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 20 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 14 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 7 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 11 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 19 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 6 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 11 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 18 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 26 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 18 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 14 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 12 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 18 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 21 2024 in Columbia, MD

* historic archive photo

'Autumn Splender'
Scorch resistant foliage is glossy deep green in summer turning red in autumn. The flowers are yellow.

* photo taken on Jul 18 2017 @ Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, ON

Aesculus parryi ( Parry's Buckeye )
A dense, domed, small tree native to the northwestern portion of the Baja Peninsula of Mexico.
The palmate leaves are composed of 3 to 5 short-stalked, broad, obovate leaflets. The foliage is mid-green above, whitish beneath.
The white flowers are borne in panicles during mid-spring.
Hardy zones 10 ( possibly hardier as it has not been tested outside its natural range ). Excellent link on Parry's Buckeye
http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:781617-1

* photo of unknown internet source

* historic archive photo

Aesculus parviflora ( Bottlebrush Buckeye )
A large graceful shrub native to rich woods and bottomlands, from central Alabama to South Carolina, south to Florida. It has naturalized in Pennsylvania around Pittsburg, Lancaster, Reading, Easton and Philadelphia. It forms a wide spreading clump that can cover large areas, reaching 15 x 20 feet or more. Some records include: growth rate - 4 feet; 6 years - 6 x 7 feet; 10 years - 12 x 15 feet; largest on record - 20 x 40 feet with trunk diameter of 1.1 foot.
Very beautiful and easy to grow; it is rare in the wild.
The foliage when young is bronzy above and downy below. It later turns to deep green for the summer then to yellow during autumn. >The 5 to 7 oblong or elliptical leaflets are up to 11 x 5 inches in size. The leafstalk is up to 9 inches long.
The white flowers with long reddish pink anthers are borne in dense, long slender panicles ( "bottlebrushes" ) up to 21 inches in length in summer.
A very tough large shrub, being resistant to drought, flood, ice, snow, winds, storms and deer. It is also NOT bothered by leaf scorch. The Bottlebrush Buckeye prefers hot humid summers and is hardy zones 4 to 8 tolerating as low as -31 F. It has surprisingly proven fully hardy at Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa, Ontario where it absolutely thrives. It grows well in sun or partial shade on any moist soil. Through cultivation is has lost much of its natural range it lost during the last ice age.
It enjoys the Mid Atlantic region so much; it now grows in the wild in some parts of Pennsylvania. In a woodland setting; the Bottlebrush Buckeye is extremely beautiful.
Damaged wood is prone to rotting so pruning should only be done if really needed, however old leggy plants will resprout vigorously if cut to ground while dormant.
Many plants produce very few seeds; one of the reasons the Bottlebrush Buckeye is so rare. It can also be reproduced from root cuttings and suckers.

* photos taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.



* photo taken on annual Horticultural Society of Maryland Garden Tour



* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photos taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario



* photos taken on Oct 31 2013 @ Hampton Ntl. Historic Site, Towson, MD

* photos taken on May 7 2014 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

* photo taken on June 1 2014 @ Maryland Horticulturalist Society garden tour, Ellicott City

* photos taken on Apr 23 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Aug 13 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 9 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 31 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 27 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 30 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 22 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 24 2020 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on May 15 2021 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey PA

* photos taken on July 26 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 30 2021 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

* photos taken on Nov 1 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 3 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 1 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 17 2022 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on July 21 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 1 2022 in Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Oct 7 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 21 2023 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Oct 23 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 22 2024 in Columbia, MD

* historical archive photos

'Rogers'
Extremely long flower panicles, up to 30 + inches in length.

* photos taken on July 6 2013 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 9 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 3 2022 in Columbia, MD

'Serotina'
Very large flower spikes up to 18 inches in length, 2 or 3 weeks later than species. Where there is room, it can be planted in the same garden as the regular species to extend the season of festive summer color.

* photos taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on July 21 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 1 2022 in Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on July 24 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 7 2023 in Columbia, MD

Aesculus pavia ( Red Buckeye )
A small, dense canopied tree reaching 30 feet or more, native to coastal plain woodlands of the eastern U.S. from Oklahoma to Kentucky to North Carolina; south to Texas to central Florida. Some records include: growth rate - 5 feet; 14 years - 23 x 20 feet with a trunk diameter of 0.9 feet; 20 years - 33 x 20 feet; largest on record - 65 x 58 feet with a trunk diameter of 3.5 feet; longest lived - 116 years. One of 57 x 40 x 2.5 feet grows in Hartford, CT and other exceptionally large trees grow in Kalamazoo, MI and Roanoke, VA.
The 5 or 7 glossy deep green, narrowly oval, pointed, toothed leaflets are up to 7 x 3 inches or rarely 10 x 4 inches. They are usually disease free and turn red in autumn.
The 1.5 inch flowers are deep intense red and are borne in erect panicles up to 10 inches in length in late spring. The flowers attract hummingbirds.
The rounded, brown fruits are smooth surfaced, up to 2 inches across and contain 1 or 2 seeds.
The bark is pale brown and smooth when young. One older tree I seen in Maryland had very attractive, very rough, orangish bark.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 on any moist, well drained soil in sun or partial shade. It is floodplain tolerant. Leaf blotch can cause defoliation in mid summer on hot sites, with good growing conditions its foliage generally remains luxuriant and healthy all summer long.

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photo taken on March 28 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum




* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photo taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD

* photo of unknown internet source

* photo taken on May 16 2012 in Howard Co., MD
* photos taken on Mar 8 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
* photos taken on Apr 23 2014 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 17 2016 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on Mar 18 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Apr 23 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on May 14 2019 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Oct 18 2019 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Sep 30 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on May 11 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 3 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 18 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 22 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 21 2022 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Aesculus sylvatica ( Painted Buckeye )
A medium-sized, rare tree native from Arkansas to southeastern Virginia; south to central Alabama and Georgia, that typically reaches up to 60 x 45 feet but sometimes much larger.
Some records include: growth rate - 3 feet; 20 years - 30 feet (avg. ); largest on record - 155 x 61 feet with a trunk diameter of 4.5 feet; largest in England - 57 feet
The 5 or less often 7 oblong or elliptic leaflets are up to 8 x 2.5 inches or rarely 10 x 5 inches. They are deep red-purple at first in spring turning to shiny deep green with an orange midrib turning entirely orange or scarlet in the fall.
The inch long flowers are yellow sometimes tinged with red and are in upright panicles up to 6 inches in mid spring.
The rounded fruits up to 1.5 inches across are smooth surfaced and typically contain 1 seed.
The bark is brown, shallowly fissured and scaly.
The twigs are orange-brown with large red-brown buds.
Hardy zones 5 to 9, it may be even hardier as it has been proven to thrive at Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa, Ontario.

* photos taken on Jul 18 2017 @ Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, ON

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on March 28 2010

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on July 10 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Neglecta' ( Sunrise Buckeye )
Foliage emerges early in spring and is bright pink turning to pale green and yellow before finally medium green. Fall color is orange.

* photos taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD



Aesculus turbinata ( Japanese Horse Chestnut )
A large, vigorous tree native to most of Japan, that is similar and very closely related to Aesculus hippocastanae. Some records include: 20 years - 50 feet; largest on record - 135 x 90 feet with a trunk diameter of 13 feet. largest in England - 82 feet; largest in Pennsylvania - 65 x 50 x 2 feet in Montgomery County; largest in New York City - 77 feet. An excellent shade tree for the northern U.S. Very long-lived, this tree is known to survive for up to 1300 years in age.
Its foliage is among the largest of all Aesculus Buckeyes. The 5 to 7 leaflets can reach as large as 18 x 7 inches, though more normally around 12 inches. The leaves are borne on stalks up to 11 inches in length. The blue-green foliage turns to bright orange during autumn
The white flowers appear in panicles, up to 12 inches long, during early summer.
The fruits are up to 2 inches across and are not spiny.
The bark is grayish-brown.
Hardy zones 4 to 7, thriving in much of the eastern U.S. More drought and leaf scorch resistant than Aesculus hippocastanae, but still prone to powdery mildew. It is tolerant of floodplain conditions and is often found on riverbanks in its natural range.

* historic archive photo

* photo taken on Jul 17 2017 in Ottawa, ON

* photo taken on Mar 26 2021 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

Aesculus wilsonii ( Wilson Buckeye )
A large spreading tree native to western China reaching a maximum size of 82 x 82 feet with a trunk diameter of 4 feet. Some records include: 20 years - 40 feet.
The foliage is similar to that of the Chinese Buckeye but is downy in spring.
The white flowers with long stamens are borne on panicles, up to 12 inches in length, during summer.
The fruit is spiny.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
Despite hot humid summers in its native range; the Wilson Buckeye does grow vigorously and large in western Europe.

ADDITIONAL BUCKEYE PHOTOS - Aesculus octandra @ Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD