Aesculus glabra

Ohio Buckeye
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Sapindaceae
Genus:	Aesculus
Species:	A. glabra
Binomial name
Aesculus glabra Willd.

The tree species Aesculus glabra is commonly known as Ohio buckeye, American buckeye, or fetid buckeye.

It is native primarily to the Midwestern and lower Great Plains regions of the United States, extending southeast into the Nashville Basin.^[1] It is also found locally in the extreme southwest of Ontario, on Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair, and in isolated populations in the South.^[1] It is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 15–25 m (50–82 ft.) tall.

The leaves are palmately compound with five (rarely seven) leaflets, 8–16 cm (3-6 in.) long and broad. The flowers are produced in panicles in spring, yellow to yellow-green, each flower 2–3 cm (3/4 - 1⅛ in.) long with the stamens longer than the petals (unlike the related Yellow Buckeye, where the stamens are shorter than the petals). The fruit is a round or oblong spiny capsule 4–5 cm (1½ - 2 in.)diameter, containing 1-3 nut-like seeds, 2–3 cm (3/4 - 1⅛ in.) in diameter, brown with a whitish basal scar.

The fruits contain tannic acid, and are poisonous for cattle, and possibly humans.^[2] Native Americans would blanch them, extracting the tannic acid for use in leather.

Symbolism and uses

Foliage and Fruit

Dried Buckeye Nuts

The Ohio buckeye is the state tree of Ohio and an original term of endearment for the pioneers on the Ohio frontier, with specific association with William Henry Harrison. Capt. Daniel Davis^[3] of the "Company of Ohio Associates", under Gen. Rufus Putnam, traversed the wilderness in the spring of 1788, and began the settlement of Ohio. Davis was said to be the second man ashore at Point Harmar, 7 April 1788, and he declared later that he cut the first tree felled by a settler west of the Ohio River, a "buckeye" tree. Additionally, Colonel Ebenezer Sproat, another founder of that same pioneer city of Marietta, had a tall and commanding presence; he greatly impressed the local Indians, who in admiration dubbed him “Hetuck”, meaning eye of the buck deer, or Big Buckeye.^[4][5] Some historians believe this is how Ohio came to be known as the Buckeye State, though a more commonly accepted explanation involves the later presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison.^[5]

Subsequently, the word was used as the nickname of The Ohio State University's sports teams, was adopted officially by the school as its nickname in 1950,^[6] and came to be applied to any student or graduate of the university. The buckeye confection, made to resemble the tree's nut, is made by dipping a ball of peanut butter fudge in milk chocolate, leaving a circle of the peanut butter exposed. These are a popular treat in Ohio, especially during the Christmas and NCAA college football seasons.

Closeup of trunk

In addition to using the tannic acid for leatherworking, Native Americans would roast and peel the nut, and mash the contents into a nutritional meal they called "hetuck".^[7]

The buckeye nuts can also be dried, turning dark as they harden with exposure to the air, and strung onto necklaces.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "Aesculus glabra Range Map". United States Geological Survey. http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/data/atlas/little/aescglab.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
2. ^ Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System: Notes on poisoning: Aesculus glabra
3. ^ Davis, George L. (1884) Samual Davis of Oxford MA and Joseph Davis of Dudley MA and their Descendants Press of Charles Hamilton, Worcestor, MA
4. ^ Hildreth, S. P. (1852) Early Pioneer Settlers of Ohio, H. W. Derby and Co., Cincinnati, Ohio , p. 237.
5. ^ ^{a b} Ohio Division of Forestry, Ohio…The Buckeye State, Ohio Department of Natural Resources brochure (rev 11/1998).
6. ^ Walsh, Christopher (2009). Ohio State Football Football Huddleup, Triumph Books (Random House, Inc.), ISBN 978-1-60078-186-5, p. 120.
7. ^ http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx

Further reading

• Darbyshire, S. J., & Oldham, M. J. (1985). Ohio buckeye, Aesculus glabra, on Walpole Island, Lambton County, Ontario. Canad. Field-Nat. 99: 370-372.
• Farrar, J.R. (1995). Ohio Buckeye. Trees in Canada. Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd. (Markham, Ontario) and the Canadian Forest Service (Ottawa). pg. 157. are the size of colemans nuts

External links

• USDA plant profile for Ohio Buckeye
• National Register of Big Trees
• Aesculus glabra images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
• Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra Diagnostic photographs and documentation
• Buckeye Peanut Butter & Chocolate Recipe
• Ohio Buckeye Trivia Cards tell about the buckeye, buckeye tree, buckeye history, buckeye folklore and more.
• Winter ID pictures
• Interactive Distribution Map of Aesculus glabra