Aesculus Species, California Buckeye, California Horse Chestnut

Maria

The tree is common in wild areas. One place we see it all the time is on Mt. San Bruno, but I'm sure it's plentiful ...Read Morein the east bay as well. Now is the time to locate the trees, as they are currently in their distinctive bloom; you'll have to return later in the summer for the seeds, when they will be out of leaf and harder to find.

I love this tree. I planted a seed, immediately neglected it for a few years, then rediscovered the tree when I cleared out the surrounding brush. It filled out nicely in the first year after that, and is now taking off and covered with flowers. No summer water.

Hi all,

This may seem like an odd question, but I just moved to the East Bay area of San Francisco and was wondering if an...Read Moreyone knew where I could find a public park here or on in the city to pick up a few California buckeyes? Or if anyone nearby has a few they'd be willing to sell or give to me?

My dad, a farmer, carries a buckeye in his pocket every day for good luck. My move is far away from him (he lives in Ohio) and I would love to send him an "exotic" buckeye for his collection. He would love the gesture.

Thanks!
Maria

I am surprised to see the hardiness listed here as 7a to 8b as it is a one of my most favorite and common natives all around Sonoma/Marin...Read More Counties where I live, IE zone 9a/b (which extends to vast areas of CA). One thing also I did not see mentioned is the wonderful, delicate, uplifting fragrance of the blooms, (something akin to honeysuckle). At times the fragrance will drift and linger throughout an area. Gives me a pleasantly surprising little rush I relish every spring. I've noted blooms can really vary from niche to niche, some blooming much earlier or later. I've lived among some amazing gnarly specimens, some of the most venerable out on fairly steep open grassy hillsides, branches crossing and melding together, looking like something from Middle Earth. Some specimens had large holes in the huge gnarled, knobby bases. Absolutely love these trees! They grow near seasonal creeks but I believe they are happy with a little more exposure, ie in semi-open oak forests, dotted among oaks and bays. I dug up one several-year-old seedling nearly 20 years ago that was clinging to a steep slope where horses entered a corral (eventually it would have succumbed to trampling) and I was amazed it survived- to this day- it is still in a 5 gallon pot, (my idea was to keep is as a quasi-bonsai). This one has yet to bloom. Several springs I've watched a squirrel chomp the newly emerging twigs (much to my annoyance)- don't know if it was eating them, using them for nesting or what. Tough trees. More/consistent water has forestalled the leaf drop into late summer.

One of my absolute favorite native shrubs! California Buckeyes have year round interest. They are among the first plants to leaf out in l...Read Moreate winter or early spring, and spring floral displays are truely stunning. They are one of the first plants to go dormant in summer, usually some time in July, but the grey branches continue to be attractive, and the forming seeds are especially attractive in winter, when they look like natural Christmas tree decorations.

These plants are generally found in the understory of wooded areas and often along the banks of creeks. This should be kept in mind when trying to grow them in your own yard. They like acidic soil rich in organic matter (think of all of the leaves on a forest floor), and grow most rapidly when planted in partial shade rather than full sun. In ideal conditions, these plants are moderate growers and not slow growing at all. They are survivors though, so in less than ideal conditions, they will persist, but grow much more slowly.