AESCULUS HOW TO ORDER
AESCULUS
Seedlings, Seeds and Dried Herb
(Plant heights are given at maturity)
Aesculus are hardy deciduous trees or large
shrubs, natives of Europe
and North America. Propagation is mainly by seed, but
many times
A. hippocastanum is used as rootstock for bred
varieties. Seeds
are best sown outdoors and allowed to stratify
naturally, but they can
be force stratified by using the cold
method. Pruning is best
done in late winter or very early spring before the trees bud
out. The central leader system is most often used.
All varieties are attractive with spring blooms of white or yellow
tinged with red, or (A. pavia) red. Aesculus
hippocastanum was
planted frequently in the US as a street tree, but lost popularity due
to its large size and tendency to develop leaf scorch in some areas of
the country. It is easily recognized by its digitate leaves and
spring flower spikes.
Horse Chesnut (Aesculus
hippocastanum) Large tree with digitate leaves and spikes of
white
yellow-blotched blooms in spring, follwed by clusters of spiky fruits
which surround the seed. Makes a good shade tree,
but
requires
plenty
of
room to reach its full potential. Prefers a well drained loamy
soil,
but will adapt to nearly any soil with sufficient water. The
tree's
wood is white, but is not particularly strong. It is often used
to
make children's toys and the backs of scrub brushes. The seeds
have
been used to produce acetone. Hardy to -40F (-40C);
height: 75ft.
Ohio
Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) Ohio's state tree
provides dense shade
and
nuts which resemble chestnuts, with a dark brown shiny coat and tan
eye.
Pale yellow flowers appear in the spring, followed by the seeds.
Seeds
are slightly poisonous, but Native Americans (who called the nuts
'hetuck') roasted, peeled and mashed them into meal, which
they used as
food. (Heating and leaching remove the toxins from the
nuts). Early settlers believed that carrying a buckeye nut in the
pocket protected one from bad luck, rheumatism, and ensured
wisdom. More recently, the tree's wood has been preferred in the
manufacture of artificial limbs, due to its lightweight, non-splitting
qualities. On a less attractive note, the tree has also been
called Fetid Buckeye or Stinking Buckeye due to the
unpleasant odor
of the crushed leaves. Hardy to -20F (-28.8C); height: 35ft.
Red
Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) - Spreading flowering shrub
or small tree with
a glorious display of red blooms in spring. Best in moist, well
drained
soil in a sunny location. Hardy to -20F (-28.8C); height:
35ft.
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