How to Plant and Grow Red Buckeye Tree for Its Stunning Spring Flowers

Native red buckeye tree is easy to grow in a shady spot for its striking flowers that bloom in spring.

Red buckeye is a small North American native tree found from Illinois to North Carolina, south to Florida, and west to central Texas. This perennial shrub or small, bushy tree has showy panicles of deep red flowers 6 to 10 inches long on fine-toothed, glossy, dark green palmate leaves. It’s at its most gorgeous in spring and early summer when its blooms stay on the tree for weeks.

The tree, a member of the horse chestnut family, earned its name for its large, nut-like seed, which is shiny and dark brown with a light-colored spot said to resemble a deer’s eye. The seed is considered a good luck charm, even though it is toxic if eaten.

Where to Plant a Red Buckeye Tree

Because the red buckeye tree tolerates shade, it is a good understory tree or shrub in landscape design. It’s an underused native plant that can be incorporated into woodland gardens, rain gardens, beds, and borders or used as a specimen plant. Red buckeye is one of the earliest woody plants to leaf out, and its emerging leaves are a striking, rosy color that lights up the early spring landscape. Its brilliant flowers last for weeks in the spring. Red buckeye is a good accent plant for shady areas. Pair it with other natives like American beautyberry, and you’ll have an ecosystem that feeds and shelters wildlife.

The seeds and young leaves of red buckeye trees are toxic to humans, pets, and livestock when ingested.

How and When to Plant a Red Buckeye Tree

The red buckeye tree is a native plant that grows in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6–9. It’s not often found in retail nurseries but can be obtained at nurseries specializing in native plants. It grows best in well-drained soil and partial shade.

You can grow a red buckeye tree from seeds overwintered in a protected area and planted out in early spring.

Red Buckeye Tree Care Tips

Growing this native tree is relatively simple. Here's what red buckeyes need to thrive.

Light

Red buckeye tree prefers partial shade but can handle some full sun. The tree does best when protected from the afternoon sun in hot areas, as it can be prone to leaf scorch. Red buckeye trees will bloom in full shade, but they produce more flowers when they receive three or four hours of sun a day. The flowers are the reason you want the tree in your landscape.

Soil and Water

Red buckeye tree is considered a pioneer species, meaning it grows in a range of soils, from moist to dry. It can even grow in tough clay or sand-heavy soils that are slightly acidic. However, red buckeye grows best in rich, moist, well-drained soil. In the wild, you’ll find red buckeye growing along riverbeds, but it can tolerate some drought.

Red buckeye loses its leaves in late summer; they turn yellow and drop to the ground in July or August. Don’t worry; the red buckeye is not dead. It’s just done for the season and now provides architectural form to your landscape.

Temperature and Humidity

The red buckeye tree can tolerate temperatures up to 95°F if it is located in a shady area. It grows best in areas of average humidity, as high humidity can cause fungal issues.

Fertilizer

When the red buckeye tree is being established, apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer. After that, apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, annually in the spring. Apply the fertilizer 2-3 inches away from the plant’s base and water well.

Pruning

Red buckeye trees look their best when not pruned to control size, but you can remove dead or diseased branches or do a light pruning for aesthetic shaping. Prune when the tree is dormant in late winter or early spring so you don’t disrupt the spring blooms. The red buckeye tree blooms on new wood.

Pests and Problems

Red buckeye tree is an easy-to-care-for plant with few problems, although, like many garden plants, it is susceptible to aphids and mealybugs. Inspect the tree regularly for unexplained leaf spots or sticky residue.

How to Propagate Red Buckeye Tree

In late summer to early fall, red buckeye trees produce globular light brown seed capsules 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The seeds are toxic and are avoided by most wildlife, although squirrels can safely eat them.

Plant the seeds to grow more red buckeye trees. Pick up the seeds from the ground in the fall and plant them in pots immediately in moist, well-drained soil. Overwinter them in a cold frame or other protected area, and then transplant the seedlings to the landscape in late winter or early spring. Red buckeye trees have a slow to moderate growth rate.

Types of Red Buckeye Tree

There are two varieties of red buckeye trees: The red-flowered red buckeye tree (Aesculus pavia var. pavia) and a rare variety of red buckeye tree that has yellow flowers (Aesculus pavia var. flavescens). It’s found only in a few counties in central Texas. It’s smaller than the other red buckeye variety, growing from 5 to 15 feet tall.

Other types of buckeye shrubs with similar growing conditions as red buckeye include bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) and California buckeye (Aesculus californica).

Frequently asked Questions

How fast does a red buckeye tree grow and bloom?

Sowing a red buckeye tree seed results in a blooming plant in three years.

Do squirrels really eat red buckeye seeds safely?

Yes, squirrels and a few other small animals occasionly eat the seeds when other food is unavailable, but it is not a favored meal. However, it is a favorite of hummingbirds, who are attracted to the red buckeye's nectar-rich blooms.