How to identify Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

How to identify Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

Red buckeye, also known as Woolly buckeye

Red buckeye is a diminutive tree or shrub, typically attaining heights of 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.6 meters). It primarily exists in a deciduous state, shedding its foliage annually. The leaves are arranged oppositely, each consisting of 5 leaflets with a palmate form. During the blooming season, this plant showcases eye-catching inflorescences composed of tubular, red flowers, which assemble in erect, finger-like clusters. Its fruit is a smooth, leathery capsule that provides distribution for seeds.

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type: Tree, Shrub

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Red buckeye

Oppositely arranged, palmately compound leaves with 5 leaflets (4-8 inches long).

Eye-catching inflorescences of tubular, red flowers forming erect clusters in early spring.

Smooth, light tan leathery fruit capsules (1-3 inches wide) containing shiny brown seeds.

Stout stem with olive-brown color, prominent raised lenticels for breathing pores.

Distinctive grey-brown trunk with splotchy markings, transitioning from smooth to scaly bark texture.

Detailed Traits of Red buckeye

Leaf Features

The leaves of red buckeye are palmately compound, featuring typically 5 leaflets, occasionally 7. These leaflets are oblong-obovate to elliptic, measuring 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) long and 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) wide. The leaflets have an acuminate (pointed) tip and a cuneate (wedge-shaped) base, with serrate (saw-toothed) edges. The upper surface is dark green and glabrous (smooth), while the underside can be either smooth or slightly tomentose (hairy).

Learn About the Leaf Glossary

Flower Features

Red buckeye features showy, erect panicles ranging from 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) long, blooming with red to orange-red tubular flowers in early spring. Each flower is composed of 1-1.5 inch (2.5-3.8 cm) long fused tubes with 4-5 glandular-tipped petals. The calyx is tubular-campanulate in shape, and the stamens are distinctly exserted. The blooming period is from March to April, making these vibrant flowers a prominent early-spring attraction.

Inflorescence Type

Panicle

Learn About the Flower Glossary

Stem Features

The stem of red buckeye is stout and olive-brown in color, adorned with prominent raised brown lenticels. These lenticels serve as small breathing pores, giving the stem a textured appearance. The stem tends to be robust, measuring between 0.5 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) in thickness. It exhibits a branching pattern that can be described as moderately dense, with branches emerging in a somewhat irregular manner. The olive-brown hue and distinct lenticels are key identifying features of this plant's stem.

Learn About the Stem Glossary

Fruit Features

The fruit of red buckeye is encapsulated in a smooth, light tan leathery capsule, typically spanning 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm) in width. This capsule contains 1-3 large, shiny, brown seeds. Each seed is notable for carrying a distinctive pale scar, which is a key identifying feature. The robust hardness of the capsule and the glossy texture of the seeds add to the unique tactile experience of this plant's fruit.

Learn About the Fruit Glossary

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Red buckeye and Their Similar Plants

Horse Chestnut vs. Red buckeye: What's The Difference?

The horse Chestnut was the tree that Anne Frank mentioned in her diary. While the original tree fell down in 2010, there have been new trees planted around the world from the original seeds. Horse Chestnut 's seeds resemble chestnuts, but they are inedible and toxic.

Ohio buckeye vs. Red buckeye: What's The Difference?

Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is a commonly known species of tree. It is native to the midwestern region of the United States and is the state tree of Ohio. The buckeye seeds contain tannic acid, and are thus toxic to humans and cattle.

Yellow Buckeye vs. Red buckeye: What's The Difference?

Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava) is a tree species native to the eastern United States. It grows in forests and floodplains in acidic soils. Due to its yellow flowers, yellow Buckeye is commonly cultivated as an ornamental tree.

Bottlebrush buckeye vs. Red buckeye: What's The Difference?

Bottlebrush buckeye is a deciduous shrub that is recognized as one of the greatest summer-flowering shrubs. It features multiple stems, dense foliage, and upright, spectacular white flowers with crimson and rosy stamens, which captivate hummingbirds and butterflies. This tree is ideal to grow as a point of focus in the garden or landscape.

California buckeye vs. Red buckeye: What's The Difference?

California buckeye (*Aesculus californica*) is a North American shrub also called the California Horse-chestnut. This is a small tree or a large shrub in the Sapindaceae family that is native to California. It is the only buckeye that is native to the Golden State.

Painted buckeye vs. Red buckeye: What's The Difference?

Aesculus sylvatica is a species of shrub. The species has five leaflets that are 11 to 15 cm long and 4 to 6 cm wide. The flowers are yellow and occasionally have red also.

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Key Facts About Red buckeye

Attributes of Red buckeye

Plant Type

Tree, Shrub

Plant Height

5 m to 8 m

Spread

3.5 m to 4.5 m

Leaf Color

Green

Flower Size

8 cm to 15 cm

Flower Color

Red

Yellow

Fruit Color

Brown

Green

Copper

Stem Color

Green

Brown

The Toxicity of Red buckeye

Slightly Toxic to Humans

Toxic to Cats

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Scientific Classification of Red buckeye

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Maples, mangos, mahogany, citrus, and allies

Family

Soapberry

Genus

Buckeye

Species

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

Learn More About the Red buckeye

Distribution Map of Red buckeye

Red buckeye is found in the wild in only some states of the US states and doesn't grow anywhere else as an introduced species. It enjoys diverse habitats from rocky hills to woodlands and stream banks. It has attractive flowers and is grown ornamentally as a hedge or specimen tree in places with clay soils.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

Learn More About the Red buckeye

A Comprehensive Guide to Red buckeye How to Grow and Care for Red buckeye