Aesculus sylvatica aka Painted Buckeye

Aesculus sylvatica, or painted buckeye, is a deciduous shrub or small tree. It belongs to the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. Its native range covers the southeastern United States. It grows from Virginia to Georgia, west to Tennessee and Alabama. In North Carolina, it grows in rich, moist woods. It also grows on floodplains, lower slopes, and in ravines.

Garden plants often reach 10–20 feet [3–6.1 m] tall. Their spread ranges from 6–15 feet [1.8–4.6 m]. Some reach 30 feet [9.1 m], and RHS lists heights to 39 feet [12 m]. Oregon State notes reports of much taller trees. Plants may have one trunk or several stems. The crown is open and rounded. Smooth, gray-brown bark has a mottled look. Stout twigs bear raised lenticels and large, pointed, orange-brown buds.

The opposite leaves have five leaflets that fan from one point. Each leaflet has a toothed edge and a tapered tip. Young leaves may have fine hairs and a red tint. Summer leaves turn green, with paler undersides. Leaves emerge in March or April and often fall by September. Upright panicles hold bell-shaped flowers in spring. Bloom dates range from March to May across the sources. Flowers can be yellow, greenish yellow, cream, pink, or red. Both male and bisexual flowers share each cluster. Brown fruit capsules ripen in late summer. Their smooth husks split into three parts. Each holds one brown seed, though some hold three.

Grow painted buckeye in deep, fertile soil that drains well. Keep the soil moist; the plant grows poorly in dry ground. It accepts sun or partial shade, with afternoon shade useful. RHS lists sand, loam, clay, and chalk across the pH range. Hardiness reports differ: Missouri Botanical Garden lists USDA zones 7–8. North Carolina State includes zone 6b; Oregon State reports zone 5. RHS rates it H7. Use it as a specimen or in woodland and native gardens. Hummingbirds drink its nectar, butterflies visit, and squirrels eat seeds. It has some resistance to deer.

Dry soil and strong wind can cause leaf scorch. Diseases include mildew, rust, anthracnose, leaf spot, canker, and coral spot. Insect pests include borers, bagworms, Japanese beetles, scale, and leaf-mining moths. Do not treat its seeds as food. The plant can poison people and pets when eaten. Poisoning may cause vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and paralysis.