Description

Go Bucks! Ohio buckeye is a medium-sized canopy tree. Branches bend toward the ground then arch back up, creating a rounded outline. Recognizable leaves with five leaflets turn yellow or orange in fall. Corky, gray bark. Showy, erect greenish-yellow clusters of flowers are followed by nuts encased in a spiny, splitting husk. Flower petals form a tubular corolla, a characteristic typical of buckeyes. The stamens and pistils of the Ohio buckeye flower extend beyond the edge of the corolla. Twigs and leaves often have a slightly unpleasant odor when crushed. Attracts hummingbirds. Prefers moist, fertile soils. Foliage tends to scorch and generally depreciate in dry conditions. This is a tap rooted tree that once established is very difficult to transplant. Height: 20-40 ft. Spread: 20-40 ft. Family: Sapindaceae Bloom time: April to May Sun: full sun to part shade Water: medium to moist According to Rutgers University, Aesculus are “rarely damaged” by deer. photo credit: Herman, D.E., et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook. USDA NRCS