How to Grow a Red Buckeye Tree for Stunning Spring Blooms

The red buckeye tree is a small tree native to North America found from Illinois to North Carolina, south to Florida, and west to central Texas. This dense perennial shrub or small tree has clusters of deep red flowers 6 to 10 inches long on finely serrated, glossy, dark green leaves. It is at its most beautiful in spring and early summer when its flowers remain on the tree for weeks.

The tree, a member of the horse chestnut family, gets its name from its large, nut-like seed, which is shiny and dark brown with a lighter colored spot that is said to resemble the eye of a deer. The seeds are considered a good luck charm, although they are poisonous if eaten.

Where to Grow the Red Buckeye Tree?

Because the red buckeye tree is shade tolerant, it is a good tree or shrub for the understory in landscape design. It is an underutilized native plant, but can be incorporated into woodland gardens, rain gardens, beds, and borders, or used as a specimen. The red buckeye is one of the earliest woody plants to appear, and its emerging leaves are a stunning pink that brightens up the early spring scene. Its stunning blooms last for several weeks in the spring. The red buckeye is a great plant for shady areas. Combine it with other native plants, such as the beautiful American blackberry, and you’ll have an ecosystem that nourishes and protects wildlife.

How and when to plant a red buckeye tree?

The red buckeye tree is a native plant that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6-9. It is not often found in retail nurseries but can be obtained from nurseries specializing in native plants. It grows best in well-drained soil and partial shade.

You can grow a red buckeye tree from seeds that have been stored in a protected location over the winter and planted in early spring.

Red Buckeye Tree Care Tips

This native tree is relatively easy to grow. What does a red buckeye tree need to thrive?

Light

The red buckeye tree prefers partial shade but can tolerate some full sun. The tree grows best when protected from the afternoon sun in hot areas, where it can suffer from leaf burn. Red buckeye trees bloom in full shade, but they produce more flowers when they receive three to four hours of sun per day. You want to have the trees in your landscape because of the flowers.

Soil and Water

The red buckeye tree is an herbaceous plant, which means it grows in a variety of soils, from moist to dry. It can also grow in hard clay or slightly acidic sandy soil. However, the red buckeye grows best in rich, moist, well-drained soil. In the wild, you’ll find red buckeye growing along river banks, but it’s drought tolerant.

The red buckeye tree loses its leaves in late summer. They turn yellow and fall to the ground in July or August. Don’t worry; the red buckeye isn’t dead. This is done specifically for the season and now provides an architectural form to your landscape.

Temperature and Humidity

The red buckeye tree can tolerate temperatures up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit if it is located in a shady location. It grows best in areas with average humidity, as high humidity can cause fungal problems.

Fertilizer

Apply a fertilizer high in nitrogen when the red buckeye tree is growing. Then apply a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 annually in the spring. Apply the fertilizer 2-3 inches from the base of the plant and water it well.

Pruning

Red buckeye trees look their best when they are not pruned to control size, but you can remove dead or diseased branches or do a light pruning to add beauty. Prune when the tree is dormant in late winter or early spring so as not to disrupt the spring blooms. Red buckeye trees bloom on new wood.

Problems and Mistakes

The red buckeye tree is an easy-care plant with few problems, although like many garden plants it is susceptible to aphids and mealybugs. Check the tree regularly for inconspicuous leaf spots or sticky residue.

How to Propagate Red Buckeye Trees

In late summer through early fall, red buckeye trees produce round, light brown seed capsules that are 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The seeds are toxic and most wildlife avoid them, although squirrels can safely eat them.

Sow seeds to grow more red buckeye trees. Lift the seeds from the ground in the fall and plant them immediately in containers with moist, well-drained soil. Plant them over the winter in a cold frame or other protected location, then transplant the plants into the landscape in late winter or early spring. Red buckeye trees have a slow to moderate growth rate.

Red Buckeye Tree Species

There are two types of red buckeye trees: the red buckeye tree with red flowers (Aesculus pavia var. pavia) and the rare yellow buckeye tree (Aesculus pavia var. flavescens). It can only be found in a few counties in central Texas. It is smaller than other red buckwheat species, reaching heights of 5 to 15 feet.

Other species of buckwheat shrubs with similar growing conditions to red buckwheat include bottle buckwheat (Aesculus parviflora) and California buckwheat (Aesculus californica).

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast does a red buckeye tree grow and flower?

Planting red buckeye tree seeds will produce a flower within three years.

Are squirrels really safe to eat red buckeye seeds?

Yes, squirrels and some other small animals will sometimes eat the seeds when other foods are not available, but it is not their preferred food. However, it is a favorite plant of hummingbirds, which are attracted to the nectar-rich flowers of the red buckeye tree.