Buckeye

Buckeyes are not common in the Nature Park forests. The best time of year to identify buckeyes is during early spring. Buckeyes are the first trees to leaf out in the spring, so they're easy to identify because they're the only ones with leaves.

Classsification:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Sapindales
Family: Hippocastanaceae (buckeye family)
Genus species:Aesculus glabra

Leaves:
Palmately compound with five leaflets
Leaflets are not fused at the base.

Bark:
Light gray to light brown
Furrowed to scaly

Flowers:
Flowers are showy, yellowish-green color
Each flower is 2 to 3 cm long.
Stamens are longer than the petals.
Arranged in large erect panicles (flower clusters).

Fruits:
Fruit is a spiny capsule, 4 to 5 cm in diameter
Each fruit contains 1 to 3 nut-like seeds
Seeds are large, shiny, brown with a whitish basal scar
Nuts contain tannic acid and are poisonous for cattle and possibly humans.

Habitat:
Small- to medium-sized tree. Found on moist, well-drained soils.

Common Uses and Interesting Facts:

Buckeye is the state tree of Ohio.

Its lightweight wood is useful for constructing artificial limbs.

American Indians blanched the notes, extracting the tannic acid for use in leather.

Horse Chestnut, in same family and genus, is a common ornamental tree in cities and parks. Usually has seven leaflets instead of five. Buds of horse chestnut are darker (almost black) and sticky.


Buckeye fruits are large spiny capsules.


Buckeye nuts are large, shiny, brown.

Sources:

written by Lauren Howard; edited by Vanessa Artman

Photo credits: Vanessa Artman, Dana Dudle; www.phyplt.ipfw.edu/Grounds/NativeTreesOfIndianaRiverWalk/OhioBuckeyeIconGallery.htm
www.ruwhim.com/img/letter/letter5_3.jpg

www.dnr.state.oh.us/forestry/education/ohiotrees/buckeyeohio.htm

 


Buckeye leaves are palmately compound.
Each leaf is composed of five leaflets.


Another view of buckeye leaves.


Buckeye leaves turn bright orange or yellow during autumn.


A buckeye tree during early spring. The leaves have recently emerged
from the buds and the flower stalk extends from the top of the plant.


A close-up view of the buckeye's flower stalk.