Aesculus flava

RHS Plant Profile

yellow buckeye

RHS 2002

Other common names

common buckeye, sweet buckeye

Synonyms

Aesculus octandra

Trees

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A large deciduous tree with spreading crown. Leaves divided into 5-7 leaflets, turning red or yellow in autumn. Flowers yellow, in erect racemes, followed by smooth, rounded fruit

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Higher than 12 metres

Max Spread

wider than 8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 20–50 years
Max Spread: wider than 8 metres
Max Height: Higher than 12 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: North–facing or West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Humans/Pets (dogs): harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Aesculus can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with showy flowers, palmately-lobed leaves and sometimes good autumn colour
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: SE USA

How to Grow

Cultivation

Only suitable for large gardens; makes a good specimen tree

Propagation

Propagate by seed or grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to horse chestnut scale and leaf-mining moth

Diseases

May be susceptible to coral spot, canker, leaf spot and honey fungus