July Tree of the Month-Ohio Buckeye
Ohio is known as the “Buckeye State” because of the official state tree, Aesculus glabra, which is native to most of the Eastern U.S.
My good friend Lisa was born and raised in Ohio, where buckeye nuts are commonly sought and saved as good luck tokens, despite their toxicity. When hiking with her young twin daughters, they also eagerly sought the nuts for luck. It’s all fun and games until you move the family to Colorado, where buckeyes do NOT grow, and those buckeye nuts the girls eagerly gathered on hikes were elk droppings instead. Who knows, they may be lucky too.
Growing up to 40′ or more, high and wide, the buckeye tree is a giant pollinator magnet when in flower, attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Pollinators, lucky charms…All good, right? However, ingesting ANY part of an Ohio buckeye is about as unlucky as you can get. All parts of the plant (leaves, bark, fruit) are highly toxic if ingested, thanks to glycoside aesculin and saponin aescin. Symptoms are muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, and yes, in some cases, death. Landowners have eradicated it to prevent livestock poisoning, but most animals instinctively avoid it due to the unpleasant scent emitted from the flowers, twigs, and bark when bruised. Only squirrels seem to be immune to the toxins.
All Aesculus are easy to ID with their palmate leaves. July Shrub of the Month-Bottlebrush buckeye
The spring flowers are followed by the large fruits with an outer spiny husk surrounding the dark nut that resembles a deer’s eye, hence the common name.
Ohio buckeyes naturally grow in the wooded areas of ravines, slopes, or thickets. Full sun to part shade is preferred, but afternoon shade is appreciated.
What I love about this plant;
-It’s native!
-Great pollinator plant.
-Nice fall color.
-Lucky nuts!
What’s not so great;
-Prone to leaf blotch, powdery mildew, and anthracnose. Bagworms, Japanese beetles, and borers can be a problem. Leaf scorch (brown edges) may occur in drought or windy conditions.
-The large fruits can be messy. Best placed in remote areas away from walks, patios, and driveways.
-All parts of this plant are poisonous. Pick the nuts for luck, not for food!
-Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com
Words and photos by Jo Batzer
© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2025, All rights reserved.
