Aesculus pavia from Forest Farm Still Hasn't Flowered

I could have sworn I posted a question here about this tree back in 2006, but I can't seem to find it.
In 2006, I ordered a Red Buckeye from Forest Farm. It has been planted ever since and has gotten quite a bit larger. It is at least 6' tall this year. My problem is that it has never flowered, now I know peoples first guess is too much shade, fertilizer or tree is not old enough. However I have seen 1 year old seedling Red Buckeyes with a bloom on them and the tree is planted where it gets morning sun and then filtered sun from Pines and Oaks which from my internet searches seems to be similar to it's natural habitat, and all references say it will flower sparsely even in dense shade. I definitely don't over fertilize it. So I am now convinced that this is not an Aesculus pavia after all. I think Forest Farm sold me an Aesculus glabra because it looks the most similar to a A. pavia and I read a comment in the plant files that someone has a 9 year old tree that has never flowered. At one point I e-mailed Forest Farm, asking them for suggestions as to why it would not have flowered yet and they ignored my e-mail. I was just looking at their website and they claim that they guarantee their plants are true to name, however I wonder whether or not they will honor that years later and how I can prove it. There is really no way for me to know for sure until it flowers, and apparently that could take longer than 9 years to happen if it is an A. glabra. Plus, I do not want a huge Aesculus glabra in my yard and will have to remove it if that is what it ends up being. I will be really irritated to have to remove a tree and start over after waiting 4 years to enjoy a Red Buckeye! Here it is now showing no signs of flowers yet another spring!

This message was edited Apr 11, 2010 10:44 AM

If you post some close-ups of the foliage when it is fully expanded in a month or so, someone should be able to identify it.

Resin

Start taking pictures of your plant at all stages now, and then you'll have documentation to sort out which species it is.

You don't have to wait till it blooms. There are many folks who have observed species like Aesculus over many years, and can discern differences from dormant buds, bark, twigs, and leaves. Flowers are great, but not always necessary.

Do you have any pictures of the plant during dormancy?

Thanks for the help. I have some winter photos of it from 2008.

Bud same day.

Leaves just opening.

Each of those look much more like Aesculus glabra to me.

I grow Aesculus pavia and it blooms every year for me. That does not look at all like mine. Plus mine has been under 3 feet tall for probably 15 years. Don't know why. Poor soil maybe.

Viburnumvalley, even though I am pretty much convinced of it myself it still bums me out to have it confirmed! lol Thank you though! I am really disappointed about this because it was the most important plant to establish, in my mind, when I first became interested in gardening for hummingbirds.
killdawabbit, That is the other reason I forgot to mention I have a feeling it isn't the pavia, It was only about 3 or 4 feet when I planted it and it is already close to 7 feet maybe taller. I should measure it instead of just guessing. This rate of growth seems excessive for a tree that usually maxes out at 20 feet!

Height is not a determining factor. I have more than a few Aesculus pavia here at the Valley that I grew out from seed. They grow at varying rates, which can be dependent on provenance/genetics, soil quality, moisture conditions, length of growing season, and light levels. There is not one determining factor.

Mine have flowered at early ages, though I have a few that are several years old and do not have flowers this year. I would not be terribly disappointed, except that I would set about finding another plant and get it growing. If you got one this spring, you would have flowers by next year at the latest.

You could have red tubular flowers on Lonicera sempervirens THIS YEAR, if you procured one of them. This plant attracts far more hummingbirds than the Red Buckeye, because of the extended flowering season. The buckeye is usually done blooming here before I see hummingbird activity.

Thanks so much, I do have a Lonicera sempervirens, and I do love it. Mine doesn't bloom real heavily until July though. So I was looking for something the hummers love that blooms nice and early. I've read they follow the Red Buckeye bloom up the coast. Although I've also heard they follow the Lilac bloom. I've never seen one at a Lilac though. The problem with getting Red Buckeyes here is I've never seen them for sale at a nursery. There is a nursery nearby that has a good size specimen growing in their display area. I've asked them why they don't sell them and they didn't have an answer. Not sure why they don't sell them around here.

I got one a few weeks ago from this seller:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Aesculus-pavia-Red-Buckeye-Single-Plants_W0QQitemZ360203373805QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item53ddcb4ced

I am very pleased with it. It started growing almost immediately. I kept it under lights in the house of course until danger of frost was past.

Your Buckeye looks healthy! I am afraid after waiting as long as I have to see a Red Buckeye bloom in my yard, the only way I will purchase another is if I see it blooming! I know the New England Wildflower Society has them, however it is about a two hour ride for me and they only have small selections of their inventory for sale certain days. A volunteer told me it is pretty much based on what looks the best that day and how much they can fit. They wouldn't even check their growing area for me. So it would be extremely hard for me to get one from them. Plus if something is in bloom, they sell out of them very quickly. I know because I went there a couple Aprils in a row and they told me that the Spicebush (which I had wanted also) were in bloom the day before and people bought every last one of them. The same type of thing happens with pretty much any plant I want to buy fro them! I live way too far away to stop in every day like some lucky people!

I meant to post a picture of mine when I had first planted it. I remember being worried it was going to die because it's leaves turned yellow and fell off much earlier in the season than they normally do. They pretty much looked like that immediately after planting. It is odd to see the difference. You can see it is a wee thing compared to now. I know the leaves can vary from having 5 to 7 and it is funny to see that back when I first planted it ~ it had 5, and in my most recent pic it has 7!

I would at least try calling Forest Farm and see if they'll make things right--I suspect they probably have records of people's orders on their computer so they'll be able to see what you ordered, and if it's clear that's not the plant you have then they may be able to send you a new one of the variety you did order. I'm not sure if they have a time frame on their guarantee of correct labeling, but there's no way to know unless you call them.

Thanks, that is pretty much what I am planning to do. I guess I just want to be sure it isn't a Red Buckeye first. It is really hard for me, where it hasn't flowered. I have googled images of it, over and over and it is so hard to tell whether it definitely isn't one. The fact that it still hasn't flowered and it is about 7' tall is really making me think it isn't, however I just can't be sure. If you google Red Buckeye you can find pictures of what looks like 12" tall seedlings with a bloom on top. So I think it odd that one that's been planted this long can't even produce one flower. I guess once all chance of any flowers has passed, I will definitely call them. Every year I have just told myself, oh maybe it will flower next year, so I can be sure. I Would be really wary of planting another one from forest farm after this experience.

They're usually very good--I've ordered tons and tons of things from them over the years and I've never had any problems. Every company is going to have a mixup every now and then--it's really all about how they handle the situation when you make them aware of the problem. In this case unfortunately it's long enough after the original purchase that they may not be under an obligation to send you a new plant, but I wouldn't be surprised if they offer to send you one anyway. And now that you know there are people here who can tell the difference even without flowers, you can post a pic of the one they send you and figure out more quickly whether it's the right one or not.

It just figures that the one time they'd mess up it would be for my order. That's just my luck.

Well I've been really busy but finally had time to sort through my images and post a fully leafed out shot.

So this is starting to flower for the first time, and it is Not a Red Buckeye... I am very disapointed with Forest Farm. I have waited 5 years for this tree to flower to find out I was not sent what I ordered. I will try to get some pics posted later.

Cheer up! Maybe you got an Aesculus turbinata by their mistake - or an Aesculus chinensis...

It is time to collect seed this fall, and grow out your own. Get some from that nearby nursery.

Here's what you should have in very short order:

Yours is gorgeous! I placed an order with Avent Nursery. Hopefully it might still have some blooms left when I get it so I know I have a Red Buckeye this time. 5 years is a long time to wait to find out you got the wrong thing. I am pretty sure what I have is a Aesculus flava. I will probably dig it up because a A. flava is listed as getting 50 - 60 ft tall and the spot I planted is not approriate for a tree that size. Plus I don't want the mess! A Red Buckeye is listed as 15 - 20 ft. Huge difference. I am very disapointed with Forest Farm. I am sure if I call to complain they'll say it has been too long for them to make good.. I don't even think they are offering Red Buckeyes anymore.

hi meredith - how have you been!

good luck iwth the new buckeye

Hi Wha, I've been good thanks for asking! Hope you've been well. :) Ok so I was out gardening earlier this evening and I decided to plop down near the Buckeye and watch to see what the hummers think. And wouldn't ya know they approve. One was all over it. So I've decided it can stay. I think it's a A. flava I'm going to get a picture of the flowers as soon as the weather cooperates. I was too busy transplanting and digging holes to stop and grab my camera. I ordered a Aesculus pavia from Avent gardens it should be here this week, hopefully this time I get what I order.

After looking at some pictures I think I may have an Aesculus pavia 'Rosea Nana'
.

Can anyone ID it by the flowers? Here is a link to a picture. https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Q0wlvUvUx4zV7QkbwrlVJCQlxozls9utj4nIwkXsFQE?feat=directlink

that's a pretty bloom! But shouldn't it be smaller if its a "Rosea Nana"?

I have a Pavia I started from seed in 2004 and its been blooming since its second year.

Tam

Yes I was thinking the same thing.. plus it's flowers don't seem as showy. I found an article somewhere about how the same two species that were crossed to get the 'Rosea Nana' commonly cross in a certain area in the wild. So I probably have a seed grown cross. I can't remember the two species off the top of my head but I remember one being sylvatica... I could have spelled it wrong. I ordered a Red Buckeye from Advent gardens and it had a bloom on it when I recieved it. So I know it is a Red Buckeye. Now my problem is the best spot in my yard to plant it has been taken by the one this threads about! I don't have the best soil for it so I have to put it so it gets some afternoon shade, but I'm having a hard time finding a spot.