Ohio Buckeye, American Horse-chestnut, Fetid Buckeye,, Aesculus glabra Willd., Naturalized Minnesota Tree, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

(American Horse-chestnut; Fetid Buckeye). A tree with a rounded crown that can grow to 70' in height. Bark is smooth on young wood, gray, then develops corky patches, eventually becoming rough and dark gray. Twigs are thick with a shield shaped leaf scar resembling a monkey face, opposite lateral buds and much larger terminal buds. Buds are orangish brown and not sticky, light colored with fine hair on the scales. The leaves are opposite and palmately compound, with 5 to 7 leaflets that are elliptical and unevenly saw-toothed, dark green above and paler below. The spring flowers are yellow to greenish-yellow and appear in upright clusters at the end of branches. Stamens protrude. The fruit is a round (1 - 2") initially spiny capsule that contains one to three dark brown seeds that mature in the fall. Capsules are rather thin walled and easily opened. The seeds are poisonous to humans (but not squirrels) and will readily produce new trees if protected from squirrels.

Other names and notes	Trees and Shrubs of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Flowering Season
	Ohio Buckeye	Aesculus glabra Willd.	Horse Chestnut (Hippocastanaceae)	Woodland	Spring flowering, Seed pods to Late Summer
	(American Horse-chestnut; Fetid Buckeye). A tree with a rounded crown that can grow to 70' in height. Bark is smooth on young wood, gray, then develops corky patches, eventually becoming rough and dark gray. Twigs are thick with a shield shaped leaf scar resembling a monkey face, opposite lateral buds and much larger terminal buds. Buds are orangish brown and not sticky, light colored with fine hair on the scales. The leaves are opposite and palmately compound, with 5 to 7 leaflets that are elliptical and unevenly saw-toothed, dark green above and paler below. The spring flowers are yellow to greenish-yellow and appear in upright clusters at the end of branches. Stamens protrude. The fruit is a round (1 - 2") initially spiny capsule that contains one to three dark brown seeds that mature in the fall. Capsules are rather thin walled and easily opened. The seeds are poisonous to humans (but not squirrels) and will readily produce new trees if protected from squirrels.