Aesculus californica

Common Names

California Buckeye, Buckeye, California Horse Chestnut, Horse Chestnut, Shrub Horse Chestnut

Summary

California buckeye is a large deciduous shrub or small tree native to California and southwestern Oregon, typically 12–30 ft tall with a broad, multi-trunked crown. Leaves are palmately compound with five to seven leaflets; fragrant white to pale pink flowers form in erect panicles, followed by pear-shaped capsules containing large glossy brown seeds. All plant parts are toxic.

Prefers full sun to partial shade in well-drained soils, is drought-tolerant with moderate water needs once established, and is hardy in zones 7–8; propagation by seed; long-lived, roughly 250–300 years; commonly used as an ornamental landscape specimen and for erosion control or soil binding on banks. Flowers attract butterflies, but nectar and pollen are toxic to honeybees, so avoid planting near apiaries.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

13-39 ft

Spread

30-40 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7a-8b

Sunlight Requirements

Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Wide range of soils, generally well-drained

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

White to pale pink

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Dark green (above; paler below).

Fall Foliage Color

Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous (sheds leaves mid-summer)

Growth Rate

Moderate, up to about 10 inches per year.

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds (fresh, no treatment), softwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, stump/root crown sprouting

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies, moths, bats