Red buckeye is a small, deciduous tree or shrub in the maple family (Sapindaceae) that may grow 15 to 25 feet tall. It is 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 fruit is not edible by humans, but squirrels love it. The attractive palmate leaves turn red and usually fall by the end of September.

Red buckeye prefers partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. It will tolerate full sun but may experience leaf scorch in the heat of summer. It is pH adaptable and will grow in a variety of soil types. Place this plant in a mixed area where its spring flowers will shine. Because it tends to drop its leaves early, other plants will mask this.

You can use this plant in woodland or naturalized areas, as a specimen, along ponds and streams, or in a wildlife garden.

Blooms open when Hummingbirds are returning from their northward migration. Host plant for at least 37 species of moths and butterflies. A host plant powerhouse!