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.
- See below
- Description
-
Red buckeye is a small, deciduous tree or shrub in the maple family (Sapindaceae) that may grow 15 to 25 feet tall. It is native to coastal and Piedmont areas in NC.
It is quite ornamental in spring when tubular, red flowers appear in 6 to 8 inch upright clusters that last for about a month and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Flowers are followed by 1 to 3 shiny brown seeds contained in a three-parted smooth husk which can be numerous. The fruit is not edible by humans but squirrels love them. The attractive palmate leaves turn red and usually fall by the end of September.
Red buckeye prefers partial shade in moist well-drained soil. It will tolerate full sun but may experience leaf scorch in the heat of summer, is pH adaptable, and will grow in a variety of soil types. Place this plant in a mixed area where its spring flowers will shine but because it tends to drop its leaves early, other plants will mask this.
Use this plant in woodland or naturalized areas, as a specimen, along ponds and streams, or in a wildlife garden.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Leaf blotch can be a problem for this plant. Leaf, stem, and fruit drop can be messy.
VIDEO: Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Atrosanguinea'
Deeper red flowers - 'Humilis'
Low or prostrate shrub with small panicles of red flowers - 'Splendens'
- var. flavens
Naturally occurring with yellow flowers - 'Variegata'
- var. pavia
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- 'Atrosanguinea', 'Humilis', 'Splendens', var. flavens, 'Variegata', var. pavia
- Tags:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Atrosanguinea'
Deeper red flowers - 'Humilis'
Low or prostrate shrub with small panicles of red flowers - 'Splendens'
- var. flavens
Naturally occurring with yellow flowers - 'Variegata'
- var. pavia
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- 'Atrosanguinea', 'Humilis', 'Splendens', var. flavens, 'Variegata', var. pavia
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Aesculus
- Species:
- pavia
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- USA , NC
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and pollinators feed on nectar from flowers in the early spring. The seeds are eaten by squirrels.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 1-3 inch wide smooth, light tan leathery capsule with 1-3 large, shiny, brown seeds each with a pale scar.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Showy, erect, 6-10” long panicles of red to orange-red tubular flowers in early spring. Individual flowers are 1-1.5 inches long fused tubes with 4-5 petals at the tips, glandular at margins; calyx tubular-campanulate; stamens exserted. Blooms from March-April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Palmately compound leaves have 5, sometimes 7, leaflets that are 4-8 inches long and 2-4 inches wide. Leaflets are oblong-obovate to elliptic, acuminate, cuneate, serrate, dark green above, glabrous or slightly tomentose beneath.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Patchy
- Scaly
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Its bark is splotchy, gray-brown and initially smooth but with size will develop scaly patches.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stout, olive-brown, with raised brown lenticels.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- 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 Toxic Principle:
- Glycoside aesculin, saponin aescin, possibly alkaloids
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Seeds
- Stems
