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 that may grow 15 to 25 feet tall. The leaves are opposite, palmately compound with 5 elliptical leaflets that have a toothed margin. The bark is splotchy, gray-brown, and initially smooth, but with size will develop scaly patches. In spring, tubular, red flowers mature in 4 to 7 inch upright clusters. The small tree produces 1 to 3 shiny brown seeds contained in a three-parted smooth husk.
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.
Seasons of Interest:
Blooms: Early spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Fall
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'
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- 'Humilis'
- 'Splendens'
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- 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.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Paricularly resistant to fire in the landscape.
- 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
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- 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 Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stout, olive-brown, with raised brown lenticels.
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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 to Humans
- Short-lived
-
-
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 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
