Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Native Americans used the branches and crushed seeds to slow down fish to make them easier to catch. Early settlers made a soap substitute from buckeye’s roots and a black dye from its wood.
Plant Profile: Aesculus pavia var. pavia
Names
Red Buckeye
Phonetic Spelling:ES-kew-lus PAH-vee-uh PAH-vee-uh
Genus:Aesculus
Species:pavia
Family:Hippocastanaceae
The Scarlet Buckeye is a native deciduous shrub or small tree that thrives in the southeastern and central regions of the United States, particularly in the coastal and Piedmont areas of North Carolina. Typically found as an understory tree, it flourishes in the moist, nutrient-rich, slightly acidic soils of pine forests. In its natural habitat, it can grow up to 25 feet tall, although in cultivated settings, it usually reaches heights of 12 to 15 feet. The tree is notable for its striking spring flowers and the vibrant fruit that follows, though it will shed its leaves by the end of summer.
This species prefers to bask in morning sunlight while enjoying the protection of afternoon shade, thriving best in well-drained, moist, acidic soils. It can serve as an attractive specimen plant, provide effective screening, or enhance woodland and rain gardens.
For further details on Aesculus pavia, additional resources are available.
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Feature Summary
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Image Gallery
Tags
#hummingbirds
#showy flowers
#deciduous
#red flowers
#native tree
#deciduous shrub
#native shrub
#wet sites
#NC native
#deciduous tree
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Piedmont Mountains FAC
#bird friendly
#food source hard mast fruit
#mammals
#butterfly friendly
#Coastal FACU
#problem for cats
#pollinators
#problem for dogs
#bee friendly
#problem for horses
#audubon
Similar Plants
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Feature Summary
Attributes
Native Americans used the branches and crushed seeds to slow down fish to make them easier to catch. Early settlers made a soap substitute from buckeye’s roots and a black dye from its wood.
SE and central U.S.A.
AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX
Flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Squirrels will eat the nuts.
Fruit
2-inch round brown capsules with a rough surface have 1-3 shiny seeds within. Fruits are available July-August.
Capsule
Brown/Copper
Summer
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Flowers
Long tubular red flowers on 6-10 inch long upright panicles in April-May. Individual flowers are 1- 1.5 inches long.
Red/Burgundy
Panicle
Spring
Tubular
1-3 inches
Leaves
Palmately compound leaf with 5 leaflets up to 3-6 inches long on long stems and serrated margins. Elliptic in shape with long pointed tips and rounded bases. Leaves drop by the end of summer.
Deciduous
Green
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Elliptical
Serrate
3-6 inches
Glossy
1-3 inches
Stem
Smooth gray to brown stems
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Smooth (glabrous)
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Native Plant
Deciduous
Rounded
Erect
Irregular
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
12-24 feet
Coastal
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Hedge
Specimen
Flowering Tree
Small Tree
Heat
Compaction
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Riparian
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Small Mammals
Hummingbirds
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Image Gallery
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Attributes
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Country Or Region Of Origin
SE and central U.S.A.
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Distribution
AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Wildlife Value
Flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Squirrels will eat the nuts.
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Fruit
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Fruit Description
2-inch round brown capsules with a rough surface have 1-3 shiny seeds within. Fruits are available July-August.
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Flowers
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Description
Long tubular red flowers on 6-10 inch long upright panicles in April-May. Individual flowers are 1- 1.5 inches long.
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Color
Red/Burgundy
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Leaves
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Description
Palmately compound leaf with 5 leaflets up to 3-6 inches long on long stems and serrated margins. Elliptic in shape with long pointed tips and rounded bases. Leaves drop by the end of summer.
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Color
Green
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Stem
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Stem Description
Smooth gray to brown stems
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Whole Plant Traits
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Cultural Conditions
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Aesculus pavia var. pavia Landscape
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Aesculus pavia var. pavia: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
