Red Buckeye
Aesculus pavia
Family: Hippocastanaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Red. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Pyramidal, Rounded.
Aesculus pavia is a deciduous Shrub growing to 5 m (16ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 5
Where it is found
Rich moist soils in deciduous woods, on the sides of streams and swamp margins.
South-eastern N. America - Virginia to Florida, west to Louisiana.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Seed - cooked. It can be dried and ground into a powder and used as a gruel. The seed is quite large, about 25mm in diameter, and is easily harvested. Unfortunately, the seed is also rich in saponins and these need to be removed before it can be eaten. See also the notes above on toxicity. The following notes apply to A. californica, but are probably also relevant here: The seed needs to be leached of toxins before it becomes safe to eat - the Indians would do this by slow-roasting the nuts (which would have rendered the saponins harmless) and then cutting them into thin slices, putting them into a cloth bag and rinsing them in a stream for 2 - 5 days. Most of the minerals etc would also have been leached out by this treatment.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The powdered bark is hypnotic and odontalgic. It is used in the treatment of ulcers. A poultice of the powdered seeds has been used in the treatment of cancer tumours and infections, and as a salve for sores. An infusion of the roots has been used as a bath in the treatment of dyspepsia.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Hypnotic: Induces sleep.
Odontalgic: Treats toothache (temporary measure only) and other problems of the teeth and gums.
Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.
Other
Rating:
Saponins in the seed and roots are a soap substitute. The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water. This water can then be used for washing the body, clothes etc. Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts.
Soap: Plants used directly as a soap substitute.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Specimen, Street tree, Woodland garden. Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy. Very shade tolerant, it also succeeds in a sunny position. A very ornamental shrub, when dormant it is hardy to about -15°c though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. It prefers a continental climate, growing best in eastern and south-eastern England. Trees are fast-growing in the wild, though they are also short-lived. They can commence flowering when only 1 metre tall. Plants spread by means of suckers. There are a number of named varieties, developed for their ornamental value. Var. 'Humilis' is a low growing form. Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large. Special Features: Attractive foliage, North American native, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Attracts butterflies, Blooms are very showy.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather. The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable. It is best to sow the seed with its 'scar' downwards. If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division of suckers in the dormant season. The suckers can be planted out straight into their permanent positions if required.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The seed is rich in saponins. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish.