Ungnadia speciosa aka Texas Buckeye

Ungnadia speciosa is a large shrub or small tree. Its common names include Mexican buckeye and Spanish buckeye. Texan buckeye is another name used for this plant. It belongs to the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. Its native range runs from southern New Mexico through Texas. It also grows in northern and eastern Mexico. Kew places it in desert or dry shrubland habitats. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The plant has a spreading crown and can reach 30 feet [9.1 metres]. This height describes its potential size, not a stated garden range. Young bark has a grey-brown base with raised, wart-like lenticels. These small marks cover the bark surface. As the bark ages, shallow cracks form. The stout twigs range from orange-brown to grey-brown. They bear fine hairs and reddish lenticels. Broad, three-lobed leaf scars mark the twigs beneath dome-shaped buds.

The leaves grow alternately along the stems and are pinnate. Each leaf can reach 1 foot [0.30 metres] in length. It has three to seven leaflets on short stalks. The leaflets range from egg-shaped to narrow and oval. Each can reach about 0.42 feet [0.13 metres] long. Fine teeth line their edges. Their upper sides are glossy and dark green. The paler lower sides have a covering of fine hairs. In autumn, the foliage turns yellow.

Bright pink flowers grow in small clusters. Each fragrant flower has five petals. The flowers open just before the leaves, or alongside them. The supplied sources give no calendar months for this display. The fruit is a woody capsule with three distinct lobes. It measures about 0.13 feet [0.04 metres] across. Its outer surface is reddish brown. Each capsule holds one to three seeds. These seeds are shiny, dark brown, and leathery. The capsules can remain on the plant after they form. Their buckeye-like shape helps explain the plant's common names.

Pink flowers, yellow autumn leaves, and lasting capsules provide seasonal interest. Its broad crown defines its overall form. The evidence gives no tested garden care or hardiness limits. It also gives no pest or disease details. No supplied source establishes edible uses or confirms its safety. The buckeye common names alone do not establish whether any part is edible.