California buckeye – description, flowering period and general distribution in California. Buds open and leaves appear

California buckeye – description, flowering period and general distribution in California. Trees with green foliage on a slope.

California buckeye – description, flowering period and general distribution in California. Leaf structure

California buckeye – description, flowering period and general distribution in California. Big, beautiful tree blooms

California buckeye – description, flowering period and general distribution in California. Flowering branch

California buckeye – description, flowering period and general distribution in California. Flowers close up

Common name:

California buckeye

Scientific name:

Aesculus californica.

Other common name(s):

California buckeye, Buckeye, Horsechestnut.

Life form:

Tree, Shrub.

Flowering time:

up to 15 days.

Flowering period

in California for this plant is: March ↔ June.

NECTAR PRODUCTION:
Toxic for bees

SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

California buckeye is endemic to California. It occurs in the Klamath and Coast Ranges from Siskiyou County south to Los Angeles County. In the Cascade Range and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, it occurs from Shasta County south to Kern County. California buckeye is occasionally found in the Central Valley in Yolo, Colusa, and Stanislaus Counties.

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 2 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

California buckeye is a large shrub or tree up to 23 feet (7 m) tall. The 2-to 6-inch-long (5-15 cm) leaves are deciduous and palmately compound. Flowers are borne on a terminal panicle 4 to 8 inches (10-20 cm) long. The pear-shaped, light brown fruit contains one to six glossy brown seeds 0.8 to 1.2 inches (2-3 cm) in diameter.

The bark, leaves, and fruits contain the neurotoxic glycoside aesculin, which causes hemolysis of red blood cells.

Seasonal development:

California buckeye flowers from April to September. The nectar of the flowers is toxic to the Asian/European honeybee, so the trees should not be planted near apiaries.

New leaves emerge from March to June while soil moisture is abundant. Fruits ripen from September to October and are dropped from November to December.

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List of honey plants that may be blooming now in California

See the entire list