Species Profiles Cumulative Quiz 7 View

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yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava)
Family: Hippocastanaceae

 

A table detailing the characteristics of the yellow buckeye

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Form:

This is a medium sized tree reaching 60 – 90 ft. in height and 2 – 3 ft. in dbh. and has hanging branches.

Leaves:
 Arrangement: opposite; palmately compound; 5-7 leaflets

[if 789 not_equals=””]  Shape: oval[/if 100]

 Margin: sharply serrate

 Texture: glabrous

 Variation: parallel

Leaves of a yellow buckeye

Bark:

When young it has light gray-brown bark that becomes dark brown and scaly when older.

Bark of a yellow buckeye

Twigs and Buds:

It has stout twigs. Leaf scars are large and shield shaped. The large terminal bud is non-resinous and orangish brown in color.

Twig and bud of a yellow buckeye

Flowers and Fruit:

Flowers are orangish yellow and appear in clusters. Fruit is encased in a leathery husk. The seeds are large, shiny and somewhat round.

Fruit of a yellow buckeye

Distinguishing Characteristics:

It has a palmately compound leaf with 5 leaflets; distinctive seed, orangish brown bark, and distinctive looking fruit.

Range:

Southwest Pennsylvania south to northern Georgia west to Illinois.

Silvics:

It is moderately intolerant of shade and prefers to grow on deep soils of coves.

Ecological and Cultural Importance:

It is excellent for wood carving. The seeds are toxic.