Homestead buckeye was introduced in 1990 by South Dakota State University. It is a hybrid of yellow buckeye ( A. flava ) x buckeye ( A. glabra ) . It is a member of the maple family (Sapindaceae). This medium to large, rounded tree reaches 40 to 70 feet tall and 40 to 50 feet wide at maturity with an oval to rounded crown. Plant it in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. It does not do well in dry soils. Yellowish-red flowers are in upright panicles and are followed by the typical buckeye fruit, although few are produced. Its medium green leaves have a deep red to orange fall color. After the leaves drop, it has an attractive winter silhouette giving it four seasons of interest. It makes an excellent choice for urban environments likes parks and street plantings. Use in the landscape as an accent or flowering shade tree. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Leaf scorch can occur in drought conditions. Watch for powdery mildew.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
24-60 feet; more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in. | Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Rounded
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Palmatifid
Leaf margin
Dentate
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Opposite, palmately compound leaves with five leaflet. Red, yellow, to orange fall color
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
Panicle of yellowish red flowers which are sterile open from mid-May-June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit detail
Produces very few buckeye fruits.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
Ashy gray bark is deeply furrowed and planted
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Fruits are eaten by wildlife, including squirrels
Attracts
Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Nut
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Winter Garden
Design feature
Accent; Flowering Tree; Shade Tree; Street Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous #red flowers #yellow flowers #yellow leaves #full sun tolerant #orange leaves #problem for cats #problem for dogs #problem for horses #small tree #fruitless #fall color orange #fall color yellow #fall color red #winter interest #partial shade tolerant
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Urban Conditions
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Leaves
Poison symptoms
Severe vomiting and diarrhea, depression or excitement, dilated pupils, coma, convulsions, wobbly