Virginia Tech Dendrology

painted buckeye Hippocastanaceae Aesculus sylvatica W. Bartram symbol: AESY
Leaf: Opposite, palmately compound, 5 elliptical to obovate, serrated leaflets, each 4 to 6 inches long, dark green above, paler below.
Flower: Upright clusters of yellow, yellow-green, cream, pink or even red bell-shaped flowers, each cluster 4 to 7 inches long, appearing in early spring.
Fruit: Three-parted smooth husk containing usually 1 chestnut brown seed; matures in late summer.
Twig: Stout, light brown or gray, with raised lenticels, large opposite shield-shaped leaf scars, large pointed orange-brown buds are often paired at the ends of twigs.
Bark: Light gray-brown and smooth, mottled looking.
Form: Large shrub or small tree up to 20 feet tall, open crown.
Looks like: red buckeye - bottlebrush buckeye

Additional Range Information: Aesculus sylvatica is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information