glabra - Buckeye (Hippocastanaceae) ------USAGE is a medium-sized, native Ohio , typically found on moist stream banks, but which Function -shade tree, specimen tolerates moderate drought. Ohio Buckeye is not a -appropriate in "natural landscapes" for the good landscape because of various aesthetic limitations, but is appropriate in naturalistic plantings Midwestern U.S. -not appropriate as a street tree of the Midwestern U.S. Texture FEATURES -coarse texture when bare Form -medium texture in -small tree of central states, -dense chiefly of Ohio and Assets Mississippi Valley regions, 30- -a native Ohio tree of special significance to OSU 50' in height, 2-3' in diameter Alumni -oval-rounded form -one of the few (the only one?) botanical mascots in -branches droop as the tree grows our sports-crazed society -generally symmetrical Liabilities -subject to leaf blotch, powdery mildew, and leaf Culture scorch -grows best in deep fertile soils, will usually reach -one of the earliest maturity in 60-80 yrs. to drop its -full sun but tolerates partial shade in autumn, messy -tolerates a wide range of soil conditions: all types of Habitat textures, acidic to slightly alkaline, wet soils -Zones 4 to 7 moderate drought -Native to the Eastern -susceptible to diseases (leaf spot, leaf blotch, leaf U.S. (Western scorch, and powdery mildew) and pests that affect Pennsylvania to most Aesculus; but particularly susceptible to Texas) summer leaf scorch under landscape conditions -rare in the trade SELECTIONS -considered difficult to transplant Alternates Foliage -large shade trees that have showy (Aesculus -opposite arrangement x carnea, Aesculus glabra, , -palmately compound Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia grandiflora, etc.) with 5 nearly elliptical, -large trees with nuts that attract wildlife (members serrate leaflets 4-6" long of the genera Aesculus, Carya, Castanea, Corylus, -petiole 3-5" long, but Fagus, Juglans, Quercus, etc.) no petiolules Cultivars – Variants – Related species -dark green above, light -species form is the available choice green below -one of the first trees to NOTE: The following excerpt is from the Ohio leaf out in the spring Department of Natural Resources: and drops its leaves "Ohio buckeye is found growing on fertile, moist early in the autumn soils of bottomlands and river banks throughout most -autumn color is orange of Ohio but less commonly in the eastern half of the to red, if the leaves remain on the tree and have not state. It is also known as the fetid or stinking buckeye dropped by late summer due to leaf scorch and other because the flowers, bruised bark, and broken twigs foliar problems give off a disagreeable odor. Flowers The Indians named the of the buckeye tree -white to greenish yellow 'hetuck', meaning the eye of a buck, which it certainly -upright spikes 4-6" long does resemble. Today the buckeye has the distinction -early to mid-May of being the state tree of Ohio. The fresh of -fairly showy this tree are reported to be poisonous to man but not to squirrels. The Indians powdered the seeds and -1-2" , somewhat dumped them into small pools. This would stun the spiny with 1-5 non-edible fish and make them rise to the surface, where the seeds (nuts) inside Indians quickly collected them. It is also reported that Twigs a flour made from the seeds makes an excellent -gray stout stems have prominent brown leaf scars, library paste which will repel roaches. and a prominent terminal that is non-resinous The pioneers favored the for cabin building -gray branches become rough or lightly furrowed and for making furniture. Early settlers cut long, thin with age shavings which were then woven into summer hats. Trunk Although buckeye wood is now used extensively for -short and knotty making artificial limbs because it is light, easily -bark ash-grey, scaly plates worked, and resists splitting, it is of little commercial importance. Its main modern use is for pulp."