Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) | Department of Horticulture (2024)

FAQs

What are Ohio buckeye trees good for? ›

Ornamental: The tree is an attractive ornamental, best in open, natural settings or parks because of its broad crown. It also is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental shrub. Other: Buckeye seeds have sometimes been carried as good-luck charms and to prevent rheumatism.

Seeds resemble edible chestnuts, but Ohio buckeye fruits are not edible and can be toxic. Seeds of Ohio buckeye should not be allowed to dry out. They can be stored for short periods (1 year) in air tight containers in the refrigerator if not allowed to dry out. Seed dormancy: Ohio buckeye has physiological dormancy.

Deer and other mammals tend to stay away from Ohio Buckeye because of its poisonous leaves and bark, and well, they stink.

You can plant buckeyes in full sun, but since they are adapted to live in forest understory, Smith recommends giving them partial shade. Be aware that buckeyes can reach 40 to 60 feet in height, though, so you won't want them in your flowerbed.

While gray squirrels and other animals do eat buckeyes, it is never a preferred food. In fact, both the seeds and tender young leaves of the plant are said to be poisonous to humans and livestock alike. Humans have long made use of the red buckeye.

The Buckeye's Place in History. As well as the belief in the good fortune of its storied seed, the buckeye has been held to cure rheumatism and other, more minor ailments. Pioneering farm families also made soap from the kernels of buckeye seeds, and many a child's cradle was carved from the wood of this tree.

The most toxic chemical in the buckeye are glycosides, especially a saponin called aesculin and a narcotic alkaloid. These toxins are in the entire tree, including the leaves, nuts, bark, and shoots. They are poisonous to dogs and can produce intestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Yet yellow buckeye is more tolerant of urban stresses than other buckeyes. This tree can be messy and needs a large yard or park to thrive. It is best used in naturalized areas. In the appropriate location, it makes a nice shade tree.

California buckeye is appreciated in the landscape as a native, water-wise, ornamental.

Like so many native California plants adapted to drought conditions, it develops a long tap root to reach water deep-down. After that first year or two, it should need no summer water at all, but it will characteristically lose its leaves in the summer unless it is given a little water once a month or so.

How long does it take a buckeye tree to produce fruit? ›

The average time it takes for buckeye to produce seeds is 5-10 years, but they can start blooming as early as 3 years from seed in ideal conditions. I took this photo in June of a bottlebrush buckeye blooming in the shade of the old growth trees in Fernbank Forest.

The buckeye should also have moist but well-drained soil with lots of organic material to support its long, deep roots – mulch can help achieve this. A thick layer of mulch helps conserve moisture and protect the roots from temperature extremes.

Common Uses: Furniture, utility wood, boxes/crates, pulpwood; while the burl sections are used for electric guitar tops, pen blanks, and other small, specialty turned objects.

The buckeye tree (aesculus glabra) is native to North America. In late summer and early fall, the trees bear fruit that contain a large nut. The nut gives the tree its name because it is dark brown with a light spot, resembling the shape and color of a deer's eye. The buckeye was named the state tree of Ohio in 1953.

The wood has no resistance to wood decay. Buckeye trees are usually scattered, and the wood is very seldom cut for grade lumber. The author knows of one instance where the material was used for paint grade molding.

Unlike the seeds that are toxic, these flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, and its tender, dark green leaves are eaten by some species of wildlife and livestock.