Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

A native of Southern and Eastern parts of United States, Red buckeye is a species of deciduous flowering plant and belongs to the family of Sapindaceae. It is also referred as firecracker plant, scarlet buckeye, and woolly buckeye. This small tree is mostly found in Illinois to Virginia which is in the North, and Texas to Florida which are in the South part of United States

The tree grows to a height of 16-26 feet in a multi-stemmed form. The leaves are composed of five elliptical serrated leaflets which are opposite each other. They are around 4-6 inches long and the tree bears dark red tubular flowers in the spring. The flowers are very attractive and are around 4-7 inches long. They blossom in April and May, and are a sight to behold.

The fruits are smooth light brown and about one inch. They reach maturity in early autumn.

It grows in average, medium moisture and well drained soils. The soils are preferably clay soils but it can do better in others too. A perfect sun is either full or partial but a very important factor to note is that the soil must be moist and very fertile. The tree can be grown from seed and the flowers can be seen in the second or the third year. Foliage depreciates in dry conditions. The maintenance of the tree is medium, meaning it does not require much attention.

The seeds are very poisonous and most wildlife avoids this tree. However, its foliage offers shade in extremely hot conditions. Other perfect use of the tree is that it can be a flowering tree and a rain garden. Though the litter from the flowers is a nuisance, many people just like its appearance so they plant the tree in their compounds. Leaf blotch is a nuisance to this tree.