Description

Our native buckeye is one of the few California members of the soapberry family, sapindaceae. California’s maple trees fill out the family. Buckeye grows as a multi-trunk, rounded little tree with silver-white bark and large compound leaves. The branch structure tends to be tortuous and quite ornate as the tree matures. In spring, dramatic fronds of fragrant flowers appear. These are toxic to honey bees but not to native bees and other pollinators. In summer large spherical seeds develop and the trees tend to go deciduous. The seeds mature and drop in the fall and will quickly establish a tap root if left in place. Buckeye begin to leaf out in late winter. Buckeye is quite adaptable and accepts partial shade and a variety of soil types.