THE ‘OTHER’ BUCKEYE: This smallish understory tree makes Texas its home
by Charlie Neumeyer/Victoria County Master Gardener
February 15, 2025
This photo shows the buckeye seeds which give the tree its name.
Red Buckeye from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (Charlie Neumeyer photo)
The title of this article is a bit misleading. It is not about deer, nor about football, but rather about a native tree called the Texas Red Buckeye.
This smallish understory tree is native to our area and is particularly noticeable in the spring.
Funny Name
While buckeye trees may not be famous in Texas, they certainly are in the state of Ohio. The official website of Ohio (Ohio.gov) explains that the buckeye tree (Aesculus glabra), which is the state tree of Ohio, “bears fruit up to 2 inches across that contain a large nut…which is dark brown with a light spot, resembling the shape and color of a deer’s eye.” The Texas variety, Aesculus pavia var. pavia, has a similar fruit which can contain one, two, or occasionally three seeds encased in separate lobes. While the seeds are identical, the Texas red buckeye differs from those in Ohio in several important ways.
General Info
Native from North Carolina south to Florida and west to central Texas, the red buckeye spans a wide area with obvious differences in climate and soil. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center notes that the buckeye is a “handsome shrub or small tree with showy thyrses (a dense flower cluster) with deep red flowers in early spring.”
While the Ohio buckeye can grow to 70 feet, the Texas variety can grow to 40 feet high, but generally will top out at 10 to 15 feet tall with a crown 12 feet wide. The flower clusters are large, nearly a foot long, and appear in the spring. Native habitat is in woods, along streams, and in thickets.
Buckeyes in the Landscape
If you are the type of gardener that likes the native, natural maybe a bit scruffy landscape, the red buckeye may fit right in your landscape. When selecting a site, keep in mind the eventual size of the tree and the fact that it is deciduous.
The Texas Red Buckeye will be an attention grabber when in bloom, but then will fade into the background later in the season. As it is an understory tree, it likes part shade. Morning sun is fine, but the tree needs to be protected from strong afternoon sun. If possible, it should be planted beneath other, larger deciduous trees.
Growing Conditions
The buckeye tree prefers deep, well-drained sand or a loam type soil that is slightly acidic. The fact that the tree likes to grow along streams is indicative of its water preferences. It likes moist growing conditions and will be only moderately tolerant of drought conditions. However, excessive watering or standing water can lead to root rot.
Buckeye Facts
First of all, all parts of the tree are poisonous. Some sources say that the buckeye nuts can be leached to remove the tannin, but, hmm. Maybe not. Along those lines, The Texas A& M Forest Service states that “the powdered bark was once used for toothaches and ulcers and that the crushed fruit was used as a fish poison.” Other medicinal uses of the buckeye include rheumatism and earaches.
It is also believed that carrying one of the nuts in your pocket will bring good luck much like a rabbit’s foot. And, since red buckeye is an early bloomer, the early migrating hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers. A similar species, Aesculus pavia, var. flavescens with yellow flowers grows on the Edwards Plateau.
A Tree for Everybody?
Probably not. The red buckeye, although considered a small tree, still needs space to grow. And while it is an early spring bloomer, it will not be particularly noteworthy in your landscape the rest of the year.
Gardeners’ Dirt is published in The Victoria Advocate each weekend.