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Aesculus flava

Also Known As

Aesculus octandra
Hummingbird Tree
Sweet Buckeye
Yellow Buckeye

Plant type

tree, shrub

size

H: 50'-75'
W: 30'-50'

planting zones

4a-9b

More Options

Aesculus flava plant details

Aesculus flava is a broadleaf deciduous shrub or tree with green foliage. In spring red and yellow flowers emerge followed by brown fruit. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly shade and even moisture - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in acidic, alkaline, average, clay, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and humidity tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Aesculus flava

Plant type: shrub or tree
Plant family: sapindaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 30 FT - 50 FT - wide, 50 FT - 75 FT - tall
Flowers: red and yellow blooms in spring
Uses: border plant, fall color, shade tree

GROWING CONDITIONS for Aesculus flava

USDA Zones: 4a - 9b
Sun exposure: sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - low
Resistant to: deer, heat and humidity
Soil needs: acidic, alkaline, average, clay, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Our eastern buckeye, with candles the nearest-to-yellow of any horse-chestnut, is a handsome round-headed tree (60-100'); its leaflets are ?slim, pointed and elegant? (Phillips & Barber) and give good fall color. S/M

By: Forestfarm

Yellow buckeye, a giant flowering tree of the Appalachians, comes down the mountain and does just fine away from the other mountain folk (mountain trees, in this case). Stately, showy, native, and shady. If you have space to let it dominate and you want something a little different than typical shade trees, why not give this a try? The yellow-green flowers are a well-documented source of nectar for hummingbirds and pollen for bees. We found an interesting website with ecoregional guides to pollinator plants. I read the Appalachian guide because that's our ecoregion, or nearly so, and, sure-enough, it listed Aesculus flava both as a pollinator plant AND a host plant for hummingbirds and bees. We read so much without sound sources (people just repeating each other), that I latch on to references like these and keep the pdf on my desktop. Here's the website link to the Pollinator Partnership ecoregion guides so you can do the same. When you see the seeds, you'll immediately understand why it's called a buckeye tree - they aren't edible for you and me, but the squirrels love them! Our plants are seedling grown by yours truly from seeds from Dr. Michael A. Dirr's garden.

By: Cutting Edge Plants

Sweet buckeye, native to middle America, is an easy and attractive tree though large. It should be an important part of the evolving urban forest canopy.

By: Heritage Seedlings

Less susceptible to leaf scorch than other Buckeyes so can take full sun. With 6" erect panicles of creamy yellow flowers in late spring, early summer this is a knockout when mature (and even long before)! It's the largest of the Buckeyes and abundant in the Great Smokey Mountains. One of the first trees to leaf out in spring and makes a great shade tree.

By: Lazy S'S Farm Nursery

This tree is called the "Hummingbird Tree' because it is the earliest of flowers suitable for hummingbirds. Yellow, sometimes reddish flowers in early spring, huge Buckeye fruits in fall. Native to SE.

By: Specialty Ornamentals

Aesculus flava plant details

CHARACTERISTICS OF Aesculus flava

GROWING CONDITIONS for Aesculus flava

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Garden photo gallery of Aesculus flava

Gardening facts about Aesculus flava plant

How to Grow Aesculus flava

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