Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)
Red Buckeye is a small understory tree or large shrub perfect for woodland gardens. It produces striking red blooms in the spring that are visited by hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. The blooms are followed by a pear-shaped seed capsule.
Red Buckeye is best grown in rich, moist soil with good drainage, but it is fairly adaptable. Its shape is more open in the shade, and it tightens the more sun it receives. It can handle fairly deep shade, but it blooms better if it gets 3-4 hours of sun, especially if it is protected from the hot afternoon sun. It tends to drop its leaves by the end of the summer, often due to leaf blotch, but that does not seem to affect the plant’s overall health. It will suffer leaf scorch in the hot afternoon sun in the summer.
Red Buckeye is a perfect addition to woodland gardens, rain gardens, shrub borders or used as a specimen.
AT A GLANCE
| Texas native | Yes |
| Water use | Medium |
| Sun exposure | Part sun to shade |
| Bloom color | Red |
| Bloom time | Spring |
| Mature height | 6-15 ft |
| Mature spread | 6-15 ft |
| Attracts | Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies |
| Poisonous | Seeds and young leaves. |
DISTRIBUTION MAPS
 Present in state |
 Present in county and native |
 Native to North America, but adventive & escaped in state |
 Not present in state |
 Present and rare, native in county |
 Previously present, now extinct |
 Questionable presence (cross-hatched, regardless of color) |