Aesculus flava - Yellow Buckeye (Hippocastanaceae) ------Aesculus flava is a large, deciduous, native Ohio tree Fruits known for its tall stately growth habit, prominent -light brown, smooth, obovate capsules split open in yellow inflorescences in spring, clean summer Sept.-Oct. to generally yield 2 - 2" wide brown nuts foliage, and fruits in autumn. Formerly known as with a prominent white "buck eye" Aesculus octandra, Yellow Buckeye is the "best" large buckye for general landscape use in the Midwestern U.S. FEATURES Form -large shade tree, briefly doubling as a large ornamental tree Twigs -maturing at about 75' -gray stout stems have prominent brown leaf scars, tall x 40' wide with the lateral buds being much smaller than the -upright oval growth terminal bud(s) habit -gray branches become rough or lightly furrowed -medium growth rate with age Culture Trunk -full sun to partial sun -dark gray to brown, smooth when young, furrowed (partial shade tolerant and ridged in middle age but becoming scaly and in youth) platy with maturity -performs best in full sun in moist, rich, USAGE well-drained, deep, Function and slightly acidic soils; like most Buckeyes, it -shade tree, doubling as an ornamental tree in early performs poorly in poor soils, clay soils, dry soils, May and in polluted areas, and is somewhat tolerant of Texture neutral to alkaline pH soils and tolerates briefly wet -medium-bold texture in foliage and when bare soils, but Yellow Buckeye tolerates urban stresses -thick density in foliage and average density when much better than other Buckeyes or Horsechestnuts, bare and as such makes the best member of the genus Assets Aesculus to plant in urban areas as a shade tree -stately shade tree with prominent inflorescences in -propagated primarily by seeds mid-spring -less susceptible to diseases and pests that affect -not as prone to unsightly foliage diseases or pest other members of the genus damage, or early defoliation, as are other Buckeyes -low availability, in B&B or container form and Horsechestnuts Foliage Liabilities -medium to dark green, opposite, and palmately -slight amount compound with 5 (sometimes 7) leaflets of cosmetic -leaflets are elliptical to obovate, acuminate, finely leaf serrated, and with short petiolules unsightliness -autumn color is a subdued yellow-orange to yellow- in mid- to late- brown summer -fruit litter in early autumn -limited floral display when compared to other Buckeyes Habitat -Zones 3 to 8 -Native to the Eastern U.S. SELECTIONS Alternates -large shade trees that have showy flowers (Aesculus Flowers x carnea, Aesculus glabra, Aesculus hippocastanum, -yellow-green inflorescence is about 7" long x 3" Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia grandiflora, etc.) wide, composed of an upright panicle of many -large trees with nuts that attract wildlife (members solitary flowers, occuring in mid-May, with the of the genera Aesculus, Carya, Castanea, Corylus, inflorescence rising above the expanded foliage Fagus, Juglans, Quercus, etc.) -the flowers are the least showy of the buckeyes Cultlivars – Variants – Related species -species form is the only available choice