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
-
Aesculus pavia, commonly called red buckeye, is a deciduous clump-forming shrub or small tree with an irregular rounded crown. It typically grows 10-20’ tall. Its bark is splotchy, gray-brown and initially smooth. but with size will develop scaly patches.
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
- Cultivars:
-
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- 'Humilis'
- 'Splendens'
- 'Atrosanguinea'
- Tags:
- Cultivars:
-
- '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. This plant is moderately resistant to damage by deer.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Enhancement
- 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.
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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:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- 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:
- It has smooth, light brown, globular (1-2” diameter) seed capsules which encase 1-3 shiny seeds called buckeyes that ripen in the fall.
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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 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.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- 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 to 6 inches, opposite, with 5 to 7 leaflets.
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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 Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
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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
- Similar plants:
-
Aesculus californica
-
Aronia arbutifolia
-
Aesculus parviflora
