Ohio buckeyes and horse chestnuts are closely related. Both
are types of Aesculus trees: Ohio
buckeye (Aesculus glabra) and common
horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).
Although the two have many similar attributes, they aren’t the same. Are you
wondering how to tell the difference between buckeyes and horse chestnuts?
Let’s look at a few of the distinguishing characteristics of each and learn
more about other Aesculus varieties
too.
Horse Chestnut vs. Buckeye
Buckeye
trees, so named for the shiny seed that resembles the eye of a deer, is
native to North America. Horse
chestnut (which isn’t related to the common chestnut
tree), hales from the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. Today, horse
chestnut trees are widely grown across the northern hemisphere. Here’s how
these Aesculus trees are different.
Growth Habit
Horse chestnut is a large, stately tree that reaches heights
of 100 feet (30 m.) at maturity. In spring, horse chestnut produces clusters of
white flowers with a reddish tinge. Buckeye is smaller, topping out at about 50
feet (15 m.). It produces pale yellow blooms in early summer.
Horse chestnut trees are suitable for growing in USDA plant
hardiness zones 4 through 8. Buckeye trees are a bit hardier, growing in zones
3 through 7.
Leaves
Buckeyes and horse chestnuts are both deciduous
trees. Ohio buckeye leaves are narrow and finely toothed. In the fall, the
medium green leaves turn brilliant shades of gold and orange. Horse chestnut
leaves are larger. They are light green when they emerge, eventually turning a
darker shade of green, then orange or deep red in autumn.
Nuts
Nuts of the buckeye tree ripen in late summer and early
fall, generally producing one shiny nut in each bumpy, brown husk. Horse
chestnuts consist of up to four nuts inside spiny green husks. Buckeyes and
horse chestnuts are both poisonous.
Types of Horse Chestnut Trees
There are different types of both horse chestnut and buckeye
trees too:
Horse Chestnut Varieties
Baumann’s horse
chestnut (Aesculus baumannii)
produces double, white blooms. This tree produces no nuts, which reduces litter
(a common complaint about horse chestnut and buckeye trees).
Red horse chestnut
(Aesculus x carnea), possibly native
to Germany, is thought to be a hybrid of the common horse chestnut and red
buckeye. It is shorter than the common horse chestnut, with mature heights of
30 to 40 feet (9-12 m.).
Buckeye Varieties
Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia or Aesculus pavia x hippocastanum), also known as firecracker plant,
is a clump-forming shrub that reaches heights of only 8 to 10 feet (2-3 m.). Red
buckeye is native to the southeastern United States.
California buckeye
(Aesculus californica), the only
buckeye tree native to the western United States, hales from California and
southern Oregon. In the wild, it can reach heights of up to 40 feet (12 m.),
but usually tops out at only 15 feet (5 m.).
Ohio buckeyes and horse chestnuts are closely related. Both
are types of Aesculus trees: Ohio
buckeye (Aesculus glabra) and common
horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).
Although the two have many similar attributes, they aren’t the same. Are you
wondering how to tell the difference between buckeyes and horse chestnuts?
Let’s look at a few of the distinguishing characteristics of each and learn
more about other Aesculus varieties
too.
Horse Chestnut vs. Buckeye
Buckeye
trees, so named for the shiny seed that resembles the eye of a deer, is
native to North America. Horse
chestnut (which isn’t related to the common chestnut
tree), hales from the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. Today, horse
chestnut trees are widely grown across the northern hemisphere. Here’s how
these Aesculus trees are different.
Growth Habit
Horse chestnut is a large, stately tree that reaches heights
of 100 feet (30 m.) at maturity. In spring, horse chestnut produces clusters of
white flowers with a reddish tinge. Buckeye is smaller, topping out at about 50
feet (15 m.). It produces pale yellow blooms in early summer.
Horse chestnut trees are suitable for growing in USDA plant
hardiness zones 4 through 8. Buckeye trees are a bit hardier, growing in zones
3 through 7.
Leaves
Buckeyes and horse chestnuts are both deciduous
trees. Ohio buckeye leaves are narrow and finely toothed. In the fall, the
medium green leaves turn brilliant shades of gold and orange. Horse chestnut
leaves are larger. They are light green when they emerge, eventually turning a
darker shade of green, then orange or deep red in autumn.
Nuts
Nuts of the buckeye tree ripen in late summer and early
fall, generally producing one shiny nut in each bumpy, brown husk. Horse
chestnuts consist of up to four nuts inside spiny green husks. Buckeyes and
horse chestnuts are both poisonous.
Types of Horse Chestnut Trees
There are different types of both horse chestnut and buckeye
trees too:
Horse Chestnut Varieties
Baumann’s horse
chestnut (Aesculus baumannii)
produces double, white blooms. This tree produces no nuts, which reduces litter
(a common complaint about horse chestnut and buckeye trees).
Red horse chestnut
(Aesculus x carnea), possibly native
to Germany, is thought to be a hybrid of the common horse chestnut and red
buckeye. It is shorter than the common horse chestnut, with mature heights of
30 to 40 feet (9-12 m.).
Buckeye Varieties
Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia or Aesculus pavia x hippocastanum), also known as firecracker plant,
is a clump-forming shrub that reaches heights of only 8 to 10 feet (2-3 m.). Red
buckeye is native to the southeastern United States.
California buckeye
(Aesculus californica), the only
buckeye tree native to the western United States, hales from California and
southern Oregon. In the wild, it can reach heights of up to 40 feet (12 m.),
but usually tops out at only 15 feet (5 m.).