Habitat

• native to southeastern and Central United States
• grows natively in bottom lands along the banks of rivers and streams
• zone 3

Habit and Form

• medium shade tree; deciduous
• broad, rounded crown, with very dense, low branches
• usually under 30' tall, but can grow to 70' or taller
• droop and swoop branching limbs grow toward ground, then curve up at tips
• medium-coarse texture

Summer Foliage

• opposite, palmately-compound leaves, with 5 leaflets, each 1" to 2" wide and 3" to 6" long; petiole 1" long
• one of first trees to leaf out in spring (late March to early April)
• leaves emerge bright green, deepen to dark green

Autumn Foliage

• colors and defoliates early
• color ranges from yellow to red-brown; usually pumpkin orange

Flowers

• blooms in mid-May
• panicles 4" to 7" long; individual greenish-yellow flowers, 1" wide
• least ornamental of the genus

Fruit

• capsule, 1" to 2" long, pear-shaped
• light brown, prickly capsule opens to reveal a single seed
• seeds poisonous

Bark

• ashy-gray
• corky and warty when young, fissured when older

Culture

• prefers deep, moist, well-drained, acid soil
• full sun best

Landscape Use

• best in natural settings
• large areas (parks, large grounds) necessary for broad crown

Liabilities

• dense shade limits grass growth underneath
• leaf scorch and leaf drop are problems when planted in too small an area
• leaf blotch, powdery mildew, canker; also an assortment of scales, mealybugs, caterpillars and borers
• this species and A. hippocastanum most likely to develop troubles of this genus
• can be messy (leaf, twig, fruit litter)

ID Features

• large, palmately compound leaves typical of Aesculus
• confused with A. flava in form
• fruits have short prickles (A. flava are smooth; A. hippocastanum have long prickles)
• large terminal bud typical of Aesculus; non-resinous

Propagation

• by seed
• must race squirrels to collect seed
• often used as an understock for grafting cultivars of other Aesculus

Cultivars/Varieties

var. nana - A rare, unusual shrubby form found locally in Georgia. Forms a small, rounded bush to 6' tall.