Ohio buckeye

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade helps in hot locations.

Water

Moderate to high; keep the root zone evenly moist, especially while young and during dry summers.

Soil

Deep, fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; tolerates clay and a range from slightly acidic to alkaline.

Height

20-40 ft (6-12 m), occasionally taller

Spread

20-40 ft (6-12 m)

Flowers

Upright clusters of greenish-yellow flowers in mid- to late spring.

Foliage

Opposite, hand-shaped leaves usually have five pointed leaflets. Leaves emerge early and turn yellow, orange or occasionally reddish in autumn; colour varies.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.3 m)

3. After 2 years

   9 ft (2.7 m)

4. After 3 years

   10 ft (3.1 m)

5. After 5 years

   12 ft (3.7 m)

About 20 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply through the first two growing seasons, and during prolonged dry spells thereafter.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Keep lawn and competing weeds away from the base; avoid damaging the shallow roots.
• Feed only if growth is poor and a soil test indicates a nutrient shortage.
• Collect fallen seeds where children, pets or grazing animals could reach them.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while dormant, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches. Train young trees to a sound framework with a central leader, and avoid topping or unnecessary large cuts.

Autumn

Plant after leaf fall while the soil remains workable; water thoroughly.

Late winter

Remove damaged or crossing branches and check the structure of young trees.

Spring

Renew mulch, keeping it away from the trunk, and check soil moisture as leaves emerge.

Summer

Water deeply during dry spells; check browning leaves for drought stress or leaf blotch.

Early autumn

Collect fallen seeds promptly where poisoning could be a risk; sow fresh seed if propagating.

Late autumn

Rake up diseased leaves to reduce the carryover of fungal leaf diseases.

• Use as a specimen tree in a large lawn, allowing room for the mature crown and fallen fruit.
• Plant at a woodland edge with shade-tolerant shrubs and spring-flowering groundcover.
• Include in a mixed native planting within its North American range for spring flowers and seasonal foliage.
• Place away from patios, paths and play areas where dropped fruit and early leaf fall would be troublesome.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Wildlife garden, Traditional, Grand estate, Autumn colour and Rewilded.

Plant it with: Virginia bluebells, Wild ginger, Woodland phlox, Christmas fern, Foamflower and Spicebush.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators. Squirrels eat or cache the seeds, but this does not mean the seeds are safe for people or domestic animals.

• Leaf scorch: brown leaf margins and early leaf drop follow heat, drought or drying winds. Mulch, water deeply and avoid exposed, paved sites.
• Leaf blotch: irregular reddish-brown patches can cause premature leaf fall. Collect fallen leaves and maintain good airflow; established trees usually tolerate it without spraying.
• Powdery mildew: a white coating may develop on leaves. Avoid overcrowding and unnecessary nitrogen feeding; treatment is rarely needed on an established tree.
• Scale insects: inspect twigs for fixed bumps, honeydew or sooty mould. Identify the scale before treatment; horticultural oil may help when applied at the appropriate stage according to the label.

Toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten. Seeds are especially hazardous; leaves, bark and other parts also contain toxic compounds. Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, trembling and potentially severe neurological signs. Keep fallen seeds away from children, pets and livestock, and seek urgent medical or veterinary advice after suspected ingestion.

• Yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava)

  Usually becomes a larger tree and has smooth fruit capsules. Ohio buckeye has short prickles on its capsules and flower stamens that project beyond the petals.

• Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

  Usually has five to seven broader leaflets and conspicuous white flowers marked yellow and pink. Ohio buckeye usually has five narrower leaflets and greenish-yellow flowers.

• Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

  Usually a shrub or small tree with red tubular flowers and smooth fruit capsules, rather than Ohio buckeye's greenish-yellow flowers and prickly capsules.

The name buckeye refers to the shiny brown seed with its pale scar, which resembles the eye of a deer.

Propagation. Grow from fresh seed collected when capsules split in autumn. Do not let seeds dry out; sow promptly outdoors in a protected seedbed or deep pots, where winter cold allows germination in spring. Protect from rodents and transplant while young, before the roots become difficult to move.

Accepted botanical name

Aesculus glabra

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan and Minnesota.

Measured

Soil pH 5 to 7.1. Average height 1815 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.