Buckeye, California
Aesculus californica
Hippocastanaceae - Buckeye

Description

Leaves: Dark green, shiny, and hairless above; compound palmate; opposite; 4 to 7 leaflets - each 3" to 6" long, oblong; edges toothed; tapered to a point; leaflet stalks longer (1/2" to 1" in length) than other buckeyes; leaves can fall in July or August in dry conditions; deciduous.

Twigs/buds: Twigs grayish brown or red at a young age, but lighter when older; hairless; thick. Buds lance-shaped, large, pointed; have overlapping scales; winter buds resin-coated.

Flowers/fruit: Flowers perfect; normally white, but can be pink; fragrant; held in long (4" to 8") panicles/clusters; bloom between May and August; have long, projecting stamens. Fruit pear-shaped or oval (more so than other buckeyes), smooth, 2" to 3" long; one-seeded, seeds orange-brown.

Bark: Mostly smooth; pale-silver.

Wood: Unimportant; creamy heartwood gradually merges with white sapwood; wood has uniform texture and poor shock resistance, is straight grained, light weight and soft. Used for paper (pulp), boxes, crates, furniture, containers, and wooden ware.

General: Natural range is in California in coastal foothills. Small tree to large shrub, up to 25' in height. Canopy is spreading and rounded. Sheds its leaves in mid to late summer on dry soils yet retains them until the fall if they receive adequate moisture. Prefers some shade.

Landscape Use: May be a good choice for a flowering tree in the St. George area. Does well in California and Europe. Commonly cultivated. Fruit can be a nuisance. Zones 7-8.

Characteristics

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