Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a handsome native shrub or small tree to 25' tall. It is quite ornamental in spring when tubular, red flowers appear in 6 to 8 inch upright clusters that last for about a month and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Flowers are followed by 1 to 3 shiny brown seeds contained in a three-parted smooth husk which can be numerous. The attractive palmate leaves, made up of 5 glossy dark green leaflets with silver backs, usually drop by the end of summer.
 
Red Buckeye prefers partial shade in moist well-drained soil, but will grow in a variety of soil types. Use this tree in woodland or naturalized areas, as a specimen, along ponds and streams or in a wildlife garden.
 
Uses: The flowers of red buckeye are frequented by hummingbirds. Although the seeds and foliage are not eaten by many animals, the shrub itself is a valuable part of low, moist ecosystems and provides cover for birds and other animals.