Botanical Name: Aesculus californica Add
Common Name: California Buckeye  
Plant photo of: Aesculus californica
California Native Plant
  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Tree, Shrub

 

Height Range

12-25'

 

Flower Color

Pink, White

 

Flower Season

Spring, Summer

 

Leaf Color

Green, Dark Green

 

Bark Color

Grey

 

Fruit Color

Brown

 

Fruit Season

Spring, Summer

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Very Low, Low, Extra in Summer

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Poor, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

Poisonous

Design Styles

Mediterranean, Spanish, Wild Garden

 

Accenting Features

Fragrance, Multi-trunk Tree, Showy Flowers, Specimen

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background

 

Special Uses

Erosion Control, Naturalizing

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Information by: Carol Bollinger
Photographer: Greg Applegate
  • Description

  • Notes

The Aesculus californica is a tree with a year-round interest. Creamy pink or white flowers bloom in the spring, and when late summer arrives, these leaves drop to unveil pear-shaped fruits. It should be realized that these flowers are poison ous. The characteristics of this tree are accented by a decorative bark and branch structure. It is commonly found on dry slopes and in canyons below 4000 ft. in woodland communities along the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. - CF
While it may be pruned to enhance and promote structure, there is very little maintenance required of this tree. Hardy to 0 degrees F