Aesculus pavia
red buckeye
Overview
Aesculus pavia is a deciduous shrub or small tree, usually 12-20 ft (3.7-6 m) tall and occasionally reaching 25-35 ft (7.6-10.7 m) in the wild, with a rounded, often multi-stemmed crown. The opposite leaves are palmately compound with five (sometimes seven) leaflets, each 4-6 in (10-15 cm) long, dark green and finely toothed. In mid to late spring, erect panicles 4-8 in (10-20 cm) long carry tubular red flowers about 1-1.5 in (2.5-3.8 cm) long that draw ruby-throated hummingbirds during spring migration. The smooth, leathery seed capsules ripen by late summer and split to release one to three glossy brown seeds 1-1.5 in (2.5-3.8 cm) wide. All parts, especially the seeds, contain glycosides and saponins that are poisonous if eaten. In hot, dry sites the foliage often yellows and drops by late summer, leaving the plant bare before autumn. It grows naturally as an understorey plant in moist woodlands and along streambanks of the southeastern United States.
Native Range
Native to the southeastern United States, from Virginia and Illinois south to Texas and Florida, where it grows in moist woodlands, ravines, and along streambanks.Suggested Uses
Used as an understorey specimen, in woodland borders, and in native or pollinator gardens of the southeastern United States. Its spring flowers support migrating hummingbirds, and the multi-stemmed form suits naturalised plantings along woodland edges.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height12' - 20'
Width/Spread12' - 20'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in mid to late spring, generally March to May depending on latitude. The red, narrowly tubular flowers open over two to three weeks and coincide with ruby-throated hummingbird migration. Cooler upland populations bloom slightly later than those on the coastal plain.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 3-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight