Jessica Walliser
If you ’re looking for a beautiful small tree for your landscape painting , consider planting a horse chestnut . I know what you ’re thinking , but you do n’t have to live in Ohio to enjoy this lovely tree diagram . Buckeyes produce gorgeous flowers that thehummingbirdsadore , and most species are fairly small - statured , so they do n’t take up a net ton of space .
Unfortunately , buckeyes are often confused with horse chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum ) , an introduced species from Europe . While buckeye are also in the genusAesculus , most are natives of the New World . Horse chestnuts , like buckeye , grow spiky seed cases that house the nut , but the trees of horse chestnut can produce quite large , while most species of buckeyes are far smaller . The seeds of both buckeyes and buck chestnuts are pretty toxic and should not be eaten .
Let me introduce you to a few specie of buckeyes that are all garden - worthy .
1. Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
Of all the buckeyes , this is my personal favorite . Sometimes called a cracker tree for its glorious - reddened flower , the red buckeye produces spikes of bright flowers each springiness . At adulthood , the tree is only 15 feet marvelous , and it ’s brave from USDA Zones 4 to 8 . Mine started to bloom when it was only 2 years old . The red buckeye can be grow as a tree , or if the drawing card is pruned out , it will grow as a clopping bush .
2. Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
This specie is more of a multi - stemmed shrub than a tree , and it ’s downright lovely . Reaching 12 to 15 feet in height , it ’s a keen large bush for full to fond shade . Large bottlebrush - similar spires of white flowers look in mid - summertime . The butterfly adore this plant , but the cervid do n’t seem to care it very much . It ’s a nice dense shrub , so it ’s staring for a privacy hedge or road block .
3. Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
This species is among the largest of the nativeAesculusspecies , hit up to 30 feet tall . Creamy yellow flowers occur in other spring . They have a sweet fragrance and are followed by the intimate spiky seedpods of all buckeye species . The hummingbird and butterflies are frequent flower visitors . This horse chestnut likes moderately wet soil condition , so it ’s a great option for low - lying areas and poorly drained site .
4. Red Horse Chestnut (Aesculusxcarnea)
A loanblend between the European horse chestnut and our native red buckeye , this stunning tree diagram is a hummingbird magnet . Topping off at about 30 foot , the May - blooming red horse chestnut tree is a great modest Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that is suited to shadier location , as well as those in full Lord’s Day . Like other buckeyes , the leaf may scorch during hot summers , but other than that , the flora is well-heeled to care for . The erect flower spikes are a lovely pinkish - red . I have the cultivar Briotii , which is said to have the best colour of all the varieties and is also the most resistant to fungal disease .
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