Firecracker Plant Aesculus pavia

Other Common Name(s):

Other plants called Firecracker Plant:

Phonetic Spelling

ES-kew-lus PAH-vee-ah

This plant has high severity poison characteristics.

Description

Commonly called red buckeye, this deciduous clump-forming shrub or small tree with an irregularly rounded crown. It typically grows 10-20’ tall. Its bark is splotchy, gray-brown and initially smooth. but with size will develop scaly patches.

Blooms in mid-spring; golfball-sized fruit ripens in fall; large pyramidal, terminal panicles are quite ornamental. Tolerates full sun or partial shade(best); pH adaptable, but prefers acid soil; prefers moist, well-drained, organic soil; no serious pest/disease problems.

Family name Sapindaceae (formerly Hippocastanaceae)

Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.

Regions: Piedmont, Coastal Plains

Seasons of Interest:

Blooms: Early spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Fall

Wildlife Value: Hummingbirds and bees feed on nectar from flowers in the early spring. The seeds are eaten by squirrels. This plant is moderately resistant to damage by deer.

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Leaf blotch can be a significant problem for this plant.

Found in: Forest or natural area in low woods and along streams; landscape, as cultivated flowering tree

Form: Clump forming, rounded top

Quick ID Hints:

Tree/shrub with 5-part, palmately cmpd leaves
Inflorescence is terminal, RED or YELLOW, pyramidal
Individual flowers are tubular or campanulate
Fruit is a 5-6 cm smooth dehiscent capsule w/1-2 brown seeds
Deciduous shrub or small tree to 13'.

Cultivars / Varieties:

'Atrosanguinea'
'Humilis'
'Splendens'

Tags:

#bees #hummingbirds #butterflies #sun #deciduous #small tree #poisonous #full sun #partial shade #rain garden #spring #shrub #wildlife plant #tree #honey bees #nectar plant #hedge #flowering tree #mammals #wet sites #food source #cpp #low flammability #NC native #deer resistant #native garden #fire resistant #pollinator plant #Braham Arboretum #fantz

Aesculus pavia — Flower and foliage Erin and Lance Willett CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Aesculus pavia - section of plant in bloom Jim Lawrence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Cultivars / Varieties:

'Atrosanguinea'
'Humilis'
'Splendens'

Tags:

Attributes:
Genus:

Aesculus

Species:

pavia

Family:

Sapindaceae

Country Or Region Of Origin:

USA (in NC)

Distribution:

Coastal Plain

Fire Risk Rating:

low flammability

Wildlife Value:

Hummingbirds and bees feed on nectar from flowers in the early spring. The seeds are eaten by squirrels. This plant is moderately resistant to damage by deer.

Play Value:

Attracts Pollinators

Wildlife Food Source

Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):

Paricularly resistant to fire in the landscape.

Dimensions:

Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.

Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.

Whole Plant Traits:
Plant Type:

Native Plant

Poisonous

Shrub

Tree

Leaf Characteristics:

Deciduous

Habit/Form:

Clumping

Rounded

Growth Rate:

Medium

Texture:

Coarse

Cultural Conditions:
Light:

Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Soil Texture:

High Organic Matter

Soil Drainage:

Good Drainage

Moist

NC Region:

Coastal

Fruit:
Fruit Color:

Brown/Copper

Display/Harvest Time:

Fall

Fruit Type:

Capsule

Fruit Length:

1-3 inches

Fruit Width:

1-3 inches

Fruit Description:

Smooth, leathery capsule with 1-3 large, shiny, brown seeds each with a pale scar.

Flowers:
Flower Color:

Gold/Yellow

Orange

Pink

Red/Burgundy

Flower Inflorescence:

Panicle

Flower Value To Gardener:

Showy

Flower Bloom Time:

Spring

Flower Shape:

Tubular

Flower Petals:

4-5 petals/rays

Flower Size:

3-6 inches

Flower Description:

The Red buckeye has showy, erect, 4-10” long, medium panicles of red to orange-red. Its narrow-tubular flowers appear in early spring. Petals 4-5, glandular at margins; calyx tubular-campanulate; stamens exserted.

Leaves:
Leaf Characteristics:

Deciduous

Leaf Color:

Green

Leaf Type:

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)

Leaf Arrangement:

Opposite

Leaf Shape:

Elliptical

Oblong

Obovate

Leaf Margin:

Serrate

Hairs Present:

No

Leaf Length:

3-6 inches

Leaf Description:

The Red buckeye has palmately compound, shiny, dark green leaves that are attractive in spring and early summer but usually begin to decline by August. The leaves are 3-6", opposite, with 5 to 7 leaflets. Leaflets are oblong-obovate to elliptic, acuminate, cuneate, serrate, dark green above, glabrous or slightly tomentose beneath, 7-15 cm long; petiole 5-12 cm long.

Bark:
Bark Color:

Dark Brown

Dark Gray

Light Brown

Light Gray

Surface/Attachment:

Patchy

Smooth

Bark Description:

Its bark is splotchy, gray-brown and initially smooth but with size will develop scaly patches.

Stem:
Stem Color:

Brown/Copper

Green

Stem Is Aromatic:

No

Stem Description:

Stout, olive-brown, with raised brown lenticels.

Landscape:
Landscape Location:

Woodland

Landscape Theme:

Butterfly Garden

Pollinator Garden

Rain Garden

Design Feature:

Flowering Tree

Hedge

Attracts:

Bees

Butterflies

Hummingbirds

Pollinators

Resistance To Challenges:

Deer

Fire

Wet Soil

Problems:

Poisonous

Short-lived

Poison:
Poison Severity:

High

Poison Symptoms:

Poisonous if ingested. Highly toxic, may be fatal if eaten. Symptoms may include muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor. (Poison part: Seeds and tea made from leaves and sprouts)

Poison Toxic Principle:

Glycoside aesculin, saponin aescin, possibly alkaloids

Causes Contact Dermatitis:

No

Poison Part:

Bark

Flowers

Fruits

Leaves

Seeds

Stems