Scientific Name:
Aesculus flava
Pronunciation:
ESS-kew-lus FLAY-vuh
Common Name:
yellow buckeye
Family Name:
Sapindaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves palmately compound, 5 leaflets with serrated margins, central one mostly obovate, up to 20cm long; flowers in erect panicles to 15cm long; fruit a round capsule with 1 or 2 "buckeyes" surrounded by a leathery light brown husk. Winter ID: large terminal flower buds (not sticky and lighter colour compared to horse chestnut).
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Round
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
15 - 22m
Mature Spread:
10 - 15m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich
Landscape Uses:
Specimen plant, Spring interest, Street (boulevard tree), Summer interest (Caution: poisonous parts)
Additional Info:
Google. Compare to Texas buckeye.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Heavily veined
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Compound Leaf:
Digitate (palmate)
Colour in Summer:
Green, Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Orange
Shapes:
Obovate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Attenuate
Margins:
Serrate
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour
Inflorescence Type:
Thyrse, Floriferous, Panicle-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
4
Corolla Shape:
Tubular
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, Yellow
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Green
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Showy, nut-like but splits along carpel lines to release seed (poisonous unless roasted and then leached with hot water)
Bark Morphology:
Plated, Moderately fissured
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Brown
Propagation:
Seed
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
(Pest resistant, Disease resistant)
