Aesculus californica – description, flowering period and general distribution in Oregon. Buds open and leaves appear

Aesculus californica – description, flowering period and general distribution in Oregon. Trees with green foliage on a slope.

Aesculus californica – description, flowering period and general distribution in Oregon. Leaf structure

Aesculus californica – description, flowering period and general distribution in Oregon. Big, beautiful tree blooms

Aesculus californica – description, flowering period and general distribution in Oregon. Flowering branch

Aesculus californica – description, flowering period and general distribution in Oregon. Flowers close up

Scientific name:

Aesculus californica

Common name(s):

California buckeye, Buckeye, Horsechestnut.

Life form:

Tree, Shrub.

Flowering time:

up to 15 days.

Flowering period

in Oregon 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 Oregon

See the entire list

Acer rubrum (aka: Red maple, Scarlet maple)

Prunus armeniaca (aka: Armenian plum, Ansu apricot, Siberian apricot, Tibetan apricot, Apricot tree)

Acer negundo (aka: Boxelder, Western boxelder, Arizona boxelder, California boxelder, Texas boxelder, Interior boxelder, Violet boxelder)

Celtis laevigata (aka: Hackberry, Sugarberry, Lowland hackberry, Sugar hackberry, Arizona sugarberry, Netleaf hackberry, Small's hackberry, Southern hackberry, Texas sugarberry)

Pyrus communis (aka: European pear, Common pear)

Aesculus californica (aka: California buckeye, Buckeye, Horsechestnut)

Rubus spectabilis (aka: Salmonberry)

Acer glabrum (aka: Rocky Mountain maple, Douglas maple, Greene's maple, New Mexico maple, Torrey maple)

Salix lucida (aka: Shining willow, Greenleaf willow, Tail-leaf willow, Whiplash willow, Pacific willow, Lance-leaf willow, Longleaf willow, Red willow, Western shining willow)