Fauna
Plant

Red Buckeye

Aesculus pavia

Also known as Firecracker Plant, Scarlet Buckeye, Woolly Buckeye

Red buckeye heralds spring across southeastern river bluffs and moist woodlands by sending up vibrant upright panicles of crimson flowers just as ruby-throated hummingbirds return from migration. The coarse, palmately compound leaves emerge unusually early in the season, frequently dropping by late summer to avoid drought and fungal foliar blights. Smooth, leathery capsules mature in autumn to reveal shiny mahogany seeds marked by a pale circular scar reminiscent of a deer's eye.

FloweringWoodlandHummingbird Magnet
Red Buckeye reference1 / 7
Eric Hunt / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil nutrients
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Buckeye Leaf Scorch Fungi
  • Borers
ThreatsHabitat loss from urban development, logging, and leaf-blotch fungal infections
HabitatsDeciduous floodplain forests, moist ravine slopes, swamp margins, and bluffs
Life span50–80 years
Classification
  1. OrderSapindales
  2. FamilySapindaceae
  3. GenusAesculus
  4. SpeciesAesculus pavia
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
All parts contain toxic saponins; do not consume seeds or foliage, and keep away from pets.
Why it is dangerous
Contains aesculin and hemolytic saponins that cause severe vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and central nervous system depression if eaten.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for opposite, palmately compound leaves with five serrated leaflets, smooth fruit capsules, and lustrous brown seeds.
What to do
Admire the flowers and foliage visually; never ingest nuts or leaves, and prevent dogs from chewing fallen seeds.
Responsible observation
  • Spring Bloom Watching: Look for tubular red flower clusters in April and May along woodland stream banks.
  • Pollinator Observation: Watch early in the morning for foraging hummingbirds and large bumblebee queens.
  • Seed Etiquette: Leave fallen buckeye nuts on forest floors where they naturally seed regeneration.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…