Ohio Buckeyes Emerging

I went to California Nature Preserve, which is in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I got some pictures of new leaves emerging.

So without ado, Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus finito-quatro.

Scott

Another of Aesculus dondekentukea.

Scott

Forgot to add the photo. Here it is.

Scott

Good ole Aesculus nationale spp championii.

Scott

That's it folks. The Ohio Buckeye. Aesculus numero uno.

Scott

Unfortunately for me and my alma mater, the other name lately has been Aesculus wolverinodomitoris. :-(

Sorry to burst your bubblebut I think the Buckeye is waaay overrated. ;)

Maackia, we can always hope the buckeye catches that dreaded virus, Odensis quadrafoulii.

Well, the only reason the Aesculus glabra are daring to leaf out is because of the extirpation of Xavieria brickiformis Charity Stripe™.

LOL! Exactly, Stressbaby. It seems to be extremely susceptible to the virus, and I believe the only cure is direct contact with pine (any species will do) for an extended period.

As a MSU spartan I love the Buckeye cause it keep the UnderarMs humble. Yes the joy shared by both of us OSU/MSU is the UM basketball team. Sorry but you are too vociferous to your compitition. We at MSU never speak loudly cause we have learned humility THE HARD WAY! Spartan Steve. :]

I knew you guys would come up with some good retorts. You never disappoint!

Scott

Just so this thread doesn't end too prematurely, I've got a few other buckeyes I shot.

Here's Aesculus flava; brings back great ID memories...

There have been statements made here that you could have too many yellow buckeyes.

Of course, I don't believe so. How can one not admire these?

Isn't amazing how much is wrapped up in a bud!

scott

There's something kind of primordial about them...

Dang...you cut in too soon, Scott. I was going to say...

This bud's for you.

Are you home already, VV? It's only 8PM!

scott

Sorry feel free to jump on this New Englander who doesn't know what I buck eye is... Yes I have heard reference to the buckeye state but what the heck is a buck eye.... is it a chestnut? kt.... feeling really stupid

Now runk, remember how you got that name...

Buckeyes are North American members of the genus Aesculus. If they are from across one of the ponds, they are referred to as horsechestnuts.

And here's what has been hidden in the package all winter.

More info than you really want...but you asked.

•Aesculus chinensis Chinese horsechestnut
•Aesculus flava Yellow buckeye
•Aesculus glabra Ohio buckeye
•Aesculus hippocastanum European horsechestnut
•Aesculus indica Indian horsechestnut
•Aesculus parviflora Bottlebrush buckeye
•Aesculus pavia Red buckeye
•Aesculus turbinata Japanese horsechestnut
•Aesculus x carnea Red horsechestnut

There's a slew more variations and hybrids, but you may be getting the point.

In North America, buckeyes are the common palmately compound opposite-leaved woody plant. They are the buck (or horse) in MADBuck or MADHorse.

And the common names, buckeye, and horsechestnut, allude to the seeds, which are big, eyeball-sized, brown to black nuts. Not edible, for humans at least, but big starchy, actually pretty cool-looking nuts. We had a big buckeye tree on our way to school and all the kids would throw sticks up in the tree to knock them down. I remember having wagons full of the glossy, mahogany nuts in the fall. Eventually, we'd get tired of having them around and we'd hit them into the woods with a badminton racket. Probably a whole forest of them back there now. There's a pretty unique and clever seed dispersal method for a tree to come up with, if you think about it!

Scott

We at MSU always classified a buckey as a Hairless Nut. But maybe with Scotts pictures it may be more. :]

Sorry I don't have any pictures, but I've been watching my aesculus pavia (red buckeye) that I planted last April, start to bloom & it's gorgeous! It had a bad patch late last summer when it was so hot, I thought it was dead, but I left it in place (I'm a hopeless optimist, it has to be REALLY dead before I remove it!). I noticed some tiny buds early in the year & the last week, it has just unfolded! I check it out every morning, when I'm walking around looking at the Japanese maples...I love this time of year! Linda

A. hippocastanum

More A. hippocastanum

I felt the same way last Fall with the buckeyes of OSU football team, they looked pretty dead. But I left them alone and now they have bloomed again in beautiful form of OSU Basketball team. Hope springs eternal.

Aesculus turbinata, yesterday at Dawes.

Scott

That was pretty sci-fi looking, eh? Here's another.

scott

And Aesculus sylvatica, Painted Buckeye.

Scott

Scott,
Great Shots!

The first photo of Aesculus turbinata reminds me very much of Invasion of the Body Snatchers!

As a kid, that movie scared the poop out of me. I bet I didn't sleep for a week after I watched it.
Mike

You can almost hear the crinkling and crackling noises at those buds opened to reveal a scaley, creepy alien!

Scott

Since the real Buckeyes were frozen out by Florida...let's get some botanical buckeyes back front and center.

Some that didn't die in the latest cold spell (at my parents' place on a dreary Easter eve)...Aesculus glabra.

Another angle...

Heads up...

And end on...

How about red?

Aesculus pavia, if you please.

I'll make my hasty contribution then retire to springtime anonymity. More A. pavia from the Dawes.

And a fine grouping of A. x carnea 'Ft. McNair' at some little college town that lured me into visiting their arboretum as I was passing by.

Regards,
Ernie