July 2021 - California Buckeye

The California Buckeye, botanical name Aesculus Californica, is a large shrub/small tree that grows well in most soil types. In fact, this California native grows in Serpentine soil, which is a poor quality soil found in certain areas of the Central Coast and other regions in the west. This makes it an ideal candidate for neglected or improved areas, steep areas that might benefit from the binding effects of the Buckeye’s roots, and any native garden or general planting that calls for a hardy large-scale shrub or small tree. California Buckeye is unique. It’s a true native, found only in California and a small area of Southern Oregon.

Moderately growing, reaching from 15 to about 40 feet tall at maturity and roughly as wide, California Buckeye starts sending out creamy white to pink, sweet-scented flowers from February to May. It’s tidy, keeping its dark green leaves year-round, and its multi-stemmed trunk lends architectural interest to the garden. California Buckeye provides cooling shade in the harshest of our local microclimates and needs no water at all during the summer. Visit WaterSavingPlants.com for more information on this and other Monterey Bay appropriate plants.