Aesculus pavia

Aesculus pavia
Aesculus pavia
Red Buckeye flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Aesculus
Species: A. pavia
Binomial name
Aesculus pavia
L.

Aesculus pavia, known as Red Buckeye or Firecracker Plant, is a species of deciduous flowering plant. The small tree or shrub is native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States, found from Illinois to Virginia in the north and from Texas to Florida in the south.[citation needed]

It has a number of local names, such as scarlet buckeye, woolly buckeye and firecracker plant.

A red flower stalk
University of Maryland Arboretum & Botanical Garden on McKeldin Mall with Aesculus pavia

The Red Buckeye is a large shrub or small tree. It reaches a height of 5–8 m, often growing in a multi-stemmed form. Its leaves are opposite, and are usually composed of five elliptical serrated leaflets, each 10–15 cm long. It bears 10–17 cm long clusters of attractive dark red tubular flowers in March, April and May. The flowers are hermaphrodite. The smooth light brown fruits, about 3 cm in diameter, reach maturity in September and October.

There are two varieties:

  • Aesculus pavia var. pavia: typical Red Buckeye.
  • Aesculus pavia var. flavescens: yellow-flowered Red Buckeye.

The yellow-flowered variety, var. flavescens, is found in higher country in Texas, and hybrids with intermediate flower color occur.

The flowers are attractive to hummingbirds as well as bees. The fruits are rich in saponins, which are poisonous to humans, though not particularly dangerous because they are not easily ingested. The oils can be extracted to make soap, though this is not commercially viable.

Ornamental cultivars such as the low-growing 'Humilis' have been selected for garden use.

Red Buckeye has hybridized with Common Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) in cultivation, the hybrid being named Aesculus × carnea, Red Horse-chestnut. The hybrid is a medium-sized tree to 20–25 m tall, intermediate between the parent species in most respects, but inheriting the red flower color from A. pavia. It is a popular tree in large gardens and parks, most commonly the selected cultivar 'Briotii'. Hybrids of Red Buckeye with Yellow Buckeye (A. flava) have also been found, and named Aesculus × hybrida.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Aesculus pavia —   Aesculus pavia …   Wikipedia Español

  • Aesculus pavia — Pavier rouge Pavier rouge …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Aesculus pavia — Dieser Artikel erläutert Aesculus pavia; zur anderen Bedeutung siehe Fleischrote Rosskastanie (Aesculus × carnea bzw. Aesculus rubicunda). Rote Rosskastanie Rote Rosskastanie (Aesculus pavia) Systematik …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Aesculus Pavia — Buckeye Buck eye (b[u^]k [imac] ), n. 1. (Bot.) A name given to several American trees and shrubs of the same genus ({[AE]sculus}) as the horse chestnut. [1913 Webster] {The Ohio buckeye}, or {Fetid buckeye}, is {Aesculus glabra}. {Red buckeye}… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Aesculus pavia — raudonžiedis kaštonas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Kaštoninių šeimos dekoratyvinis nuodingas augalas (Aesculus pavia), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Aesculus pavia angl. red buckeye; scarlet buckeye; wooly buckeye vok.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Aesculus pavia — ID 1463 Symbol Key AEPA Common Name red buckeye Family Hippocastanaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV Growth… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Aesculus pavia var. pavia — ID 1465 Symbol Key AEPAP Common Name red buckeye Family Hippocastanaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV Growth… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Aesculus pavia var. flavescens — ID 1464 Symbol Key AEPAF Common Name red buckeye Family Hippocastanaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution TX Growth Habit Tree, Shrub Duration …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Aesculus pavia — Hestekastanie, amerikansk …   Danske encyklopædi

  • Aesculus pavia L. — Symbol AEPA Common Name red buckeye Botanical Family Hippocastanaceae …   Scientific plant list

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”