Aesculus Species, Bottlebrush Buckeye

Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Rarely eaten by deer. Squirrels and chipmunks love the protein-rich nuts that ripen in the ...Read Morefall.

Bottlebrush buckeye thrives in light shade, but it also does well in full sun as long as it is well mulched and plenty of moisture is provided. In heavy shade the summer blooms will probably be a little scantier, but the bright yellow fall color will not be diminished. Likes average, medium, well-drained soils. Prefers rich, moist loams. Intolerant of dry soils, particularly in the early years before its root system becomes well established. Pruning is usually unnecessary. Native to rich woodland areas in Alabama, Georgia and northern Florida. It is winter hardy throughout USDA Zone 5.

Mid-summer bloom can be spectacular. Flowers give way to glossy inedible, pear-shaped nuts (buckeyes) encased in husks. Foliage turns yellow in autumn.

Uses in the Landscape: One of the best shrubs for screening because of its suckering characteristics. Ideal for understory planting in woodland gardens, as a specimen plant, or in a shrub border.

Saw a huge specimen on the grounds of the Highlands Inn in Highlands, North Carolina last year. It was magnificent--at least 15' wide and...Read More nearly that tall. I intend to order it to go under some trees in a large opening down along our creek this year.

Grows very well in deep shade. I have a number lining a shaded driveway and they're interesting to watch throughout the whole summer. Dee...Read Morer will eat them during winter so I have them in wire mesh that arent' seen during summer due to foliage. Deer prune them back naturally during winter. An acceptable arrangement.

Water heavily during flowering for maximum spikelets.

It can take 2 years for seeds to germinate if you grow them the old fashioned way. You have to be patient and watch the ground in spring.

Bottlebrush buckeye should be in every landscape in which it fits. It is a large shrub (10'+ high in time, and half again as wide) but i...Read Morencredibly rewarding for the wondrous numbers of flowers on every terminal in June (in KY). You can extend this flowering season further by planting Aesculus parviflora var. serotina and its clones.

The pollinating and nectar-gathering insects just go hog wild. Walking by the plants here (see pictures) is amazing; the air literally hums with bug activity. They pay no attention to humans, as they have struck gold.

Come fall, there are plenty of seed to be gathered from which to easily grow new young bottlebrush buckeyes. The fall color is a glowing gold. Winter provides respite with the slender open gray stems, suitable for underplanting a plethora of spring bulbs.

Have you planted yours yet?

This is a rally NEAT plant...and easy to grow...I bought my first one about 8-10 years ago ...a 40 twig ..., But now it's 10x10 (i haven'...Read Moret trimmed much can be kept much smaller. I have grown several others from seeds and they seem to be JUST LIKE the mother plant..... they take about 2-3 years from "twig" to bloom but it's worth it. Anyone wanting to trade seedlings let me know... i'll stick a few buckeyes in pots and vala next spring they be good to go zone 5b

Very easy going plant, with a nice tall habit and impressive flowers. It is thriving in a good deal of shade, with fairly limited water v...Read Moreery recently after planting.

It has an arched habit which facilitates placing smaller plants beneath it.

Highly recomended.

Bottlebrush buckeyes are usually disease-free.

Seed needs to be collected in fall before drying. The capsules can only b...Read Moree allowed to dry a little bit without losing seed viability. Usually, only one seed will be viable per capsule anyway. After the husks are removed, the seeds should be stratified in moist sand for about 2 months.

Bottlebrush buckeyes can also be propagated by root cuttings taken in autumn.

As a summer blooming shrub which also thrives in the shade, this is a welcome addition to almost any landscape. Virtually trouble-free, ...Read Moreslow growing but eventually can reach up to 15' high and across.