Species Information
California Buckeye
| Status |
Least Concern  Least Concern: species that have a widespread and abundant population and are not currently threatened. |
| Family |
Hippocastanaceae |
| Description | Tree with clusters of white to pink flowers in late spring |
| Habitat | Dry slopes, in canyons and along waterways |
| Reproduction | Seeds |
| Threats |
Heavy rains |
| Range | Northwest California, foothills and Central Valley |
| Status |
Least Concern: species that have a widespread and abundant population and are not currently threatened. |
| Family |
Hippocastanaceae |
| Description | Tree with clusters of white to pink flowers in late spring |
| Habitat | Dry slopes, in canyons and along waterways |
| Reproduction | Seeds |
| Threats |
Heavy rains |
| Range | Northwest California, foothills and Central Valley |
The California Buckeye (Aesculus californica) is a species of buckeye native to California and parts of Oregon and is the state tree of California.
It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 25 feet tall. The leaves radiate outwards with 5 to 7 leaflets and are up to 3 inches long. The flowers are white clusters that bloom in spring. The fruit is a large, leathery capsule containing one or two hard nut-like seeds. The fruits ripen in late summer and early fall, and the seeds are dispersed by birds and mammals.
The tree is an important food source birds and mammals. It is also an important source of pollen for bees and other insects. A variety of wildlife benefit from the California Buckeye. Bees and squirrels eat the seeds and deer love the low canopy the trees provide. Native insects like butterflies, moths, worms and caterpillars are attracted to the flowers and is an important nectar source in the late spring to migrant butterflies. The nectar is toxic to non-native honeybees.
Native Americans and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have long utilized their leaves and nuts as medicinal remedies.