Underused Woody Ornamentals: Red Buckeye

One of the trees I most enjoy in the spring is Aesculus pavia or red buckeye. This small, understory tree is also sometimes called firecracker plant for the upright, 5-8" long, clusters of gorgeous red flowers. As an understory tree, it prefers a cool root run, so provide shade or mulch. Red buckeye prefers moist loamy soil though it tolerates clay and sand. It can tolerate extended flooding but will struggle in an extended drought. Red buckeye reaches 15 – 25 ft in height with a similar spread. Its native habitat is quite extensive, ranging from coastal Connecticut and eastern Pennsylvania, down to northern Florida, west to California and up the coast to the north border of Washington state. Wow, that is a pretty adaptable small tree!

Flowering is pretty consistent in this ornamental, still flowering well in dense shade although the growth habit becomes more open. The red buckeye in my backyard has a red flower that exhibits bright yellow stamens providing a spectacular look for about two weeks in May. Typical to the Aesculus genus are the palmate leaves and round, hard, seed capsule. These capsules are poisonous, so be aware and do not plant if you have small children who are tempted to try every tempting nut they see outside. Red buckeye is very well behaved, never spreading aggressively, although you may get seedlings from time to time as the seed capsules are a favorite of squirrels.

I like to use red buckeye as a patio tree, its smaller height and spread, moderate growth and deeper root system make it an easy plant to share space with. It doesn't have much in the way of fall color but its coarse texture and interesting form provides interest in the winter. Red buckeye tends to be free of the leaf blotching often found on other trees in the Aesculus genus and has no significant pests. Mt. Cuba Center recommends combining this small native tree with other hummingbird plants such as Spigelia marilandica, Indian pink or Aquilegia canadensis, wild columbine. It might be difficult to find this tree in the trade, but well worth the search.