10-11-2023: just for the record.

Went past the tree I collected nuts from yesterday and the tree was completely devoid of conkers. Nothing on the tree nor the ground. Didn't see any husks or anything except some leaves. It appears that Mr. squirrels were hard at work last week.

4-19-2024:

With the warmer than normal winter/spring and the fact that back in March I had to steal a bag of mulch that was covering my tote 'cold frame', I moved everything from the tote over to the outside plant table about 3 weeks ago. Nice sunny days with no freezing temps at nights the whole time.

Now with 3 nights in a row of 27df forecast, I moved all the pots into the house last night.

The little first year lilac (syringa vulgaris, left) from last fall, did defoliate in the cold frame but then sprouted new little leaf buds by the time I removed it from the tote early April. Hardy!

Next left to right, Picea glauca seedling, I grew on the bench all last summer, is a little off color but has buds that have been swelling now that its outside with warmer temps.

The 3rd pot is an Aesculus glabra seed in bark mix (511) that so far has not shown a sprout.

The Fourth pot next to it is a Black walnut seed found in the yard last year (511) no sprout yet.

Last (right) is the pot I planted (peat moss) the extra randomly collected buckeye seeds that were collected during the last 2-3 of weeks before the squirrels put an end to the harvest by removing all signs that seeds were ever there. ;-) <continued below>

There were 9 seeds total. So, let's see, 9 divided by 9 = 1 x 100 = 100% ;^)

I don't know if these results are enough to dispel the myth that aesculus germination rates are on the low side but does give you an idea of what proper (long) cold stratification can accomplish.

Just wanted to provide an update on what happened to all this in the tote since last season.

5-6-2024:

Noticed one of the Aesculus Glabra that was planted outside last Fall poking up this AM. ;-)

5-8-2024:

All 4 aesculus glabra that were planted outside are up (I had to dig a little to find the center one). 4 sprouts divided by 4 seeds = 1 x 100 = 100% ;^)

The Juglans nigra made its debut last night.

That's all for contents of the tote cold frame.

Hippocastaneum has finished and indica is only just starting but these two are at their peak today.

Bonuses ...

Davidia yesterday.

Variegated Acer pseudoplatanus today. Don't know the cultivar.

Sorry about the repeated pix. Houzz on my phone has trouble with editing posts.

Thanks floral!

This reminded me to go outside and check my new sprouts.

I've removed 2 of the 4 originally planted last Fall but should remove one more but wanted to make sure they both were going to grow on before doing so.

Of course, the one closest (1") to the center of the mulch ring turns out to be the smaller/later of the two left.

Should I remove the smaller and leave the larger, even though the larger is ~3" off center? Or won't it matter after a few months pass? TIA

Oh, and just FWIW:

My SIL is taking the extra 5 OB plants that I potted up, also the Juglans nigra that sprouted recently.

The end. :-)

5-28-2024:

Just for the record, I left the largest OB in the planting site. Now we wait...or better yet just forget about it and get on to other things. We have a whole growing season ahead of us. ;-)

I pulled many seedlings out of places this year. Interesting, my neighbor said he never used to get buckeye seedlings on his property until I moved in and started taking better care of the yard.

4-21-2025:

It's alive!

It had swelling buds for a couple of weeks now, but the nights have been cold enough to slow its progression.

Hope its 'Frost Hardy'.

Those are always among the first trees to leaf out here

Buckeyes are shockingly freeze tolerant. My house came with a huge one in the front yard and I’ve never seen it damaged even down to 19 degrees with foliage emerging.

Thanks pennlake, good to know.

We should be past any below freezing temperatures but could have that one late frost in May.

Its small enough I can cover it for this season if necessary.

Some sources say z3, others z4 but I'm in the ballpark. ;-)

Same! it has gotten well into the teens and these things are not even bothered by it in the spring. The leaves looks droopy and dead, but they bounce right back. It’s remarkable

Thanks,

That's the kind of tree I'm looking for. :-)

8-19-2025:

Picture taken 7-8-25:

Leaves don’t look quite like ohio buckeye to me. I think in another thread someone posited it could be a hybrid. I’m starting to think that’s true

Idk, Lane. But one must not be too quick to jump to conclusions. 8^)

I've looked at many websites pictures that all have similar ribbing to different degrees.

Here's one: Listed Aesculus Glabra. So, the ribbed trait must be there in A. glabra, which can be variable, I suppose.

What does yours look like?

:^)

What does that fat terminal bud feel like, @BillMN-z4a ?

A bit prickly, like a pinecone.

Dry...or sticky?

Dry.

Thanks VV.

Nice to know what tree it is that I have.

Ohio Buckeye!

:-)

Here’s one I planted at work

Nice!

Lane, Was that a certain cultivar or straight species?

"the ribbed trait must be there in A. glabra, which can be variable"

Ohio buckeye is definitely a variable species, so one would assume the texture, or "ribbed" look of the young foliage is also variable depending on provenance and growing conditions. And the terminal bud would indicate A. glabra. But I don't think I've ever seen mature foliage on Ohio buckeye that has that same texture, which leads me to question whether your seedling, which appears to be well established, is pure A. glabra. I'm guessing that perhaps because you're providing optimal growing conditions, that has helped maintain the "ribbed" texture of its foliage(?)

"Here's one: Listed Aesculus Glabra" - I believe that photo is from a European website that includes hundreds of leaf photos of "A. glabra", some of which are clearly not glabra, but other Aesculus species and/or hybrids.

Just the species.

here is the one at my house.... oh man this poor tree. I probably should have cut it down, but I let it stay. It was destroyed by a tornado in 2009; lost every branch from my understanding, and then lost all, but one big branch in a mid June blizzard in 2020. It has fathered many seedlings lol

Thanks, arbordave!

Yes, every tree wishes that I owned it. lol

I even make sure they have what they need down to the macro and micronutrients.

And any seed grown plant can produce varieties, to some level, plus there's always the cross-pollination thingy. ;-)

But whether or not it's certified OBE or not, it's fine with me (close enough and I'm happy). :-)

That terminal bud was the key for identification in this case. And the fact that if it would've been resinous, the possibility of A. hippocastanum was still there (thanks! VV).

Yes, I thought that leaf picture might have been hokey, as are many posted on the web.

My leaves are showing some late season lackluster even though I've had a sunshade on it most of the season. It's only the second season in the ground so may improve as the root system elongates.

Clark,

That's a beautiful tree you have in your yard.

It's soldiered on after huge difficulties and has become strong and full in appearance.

I would be proud of it!

Thanks for the showing.

;-)

Bill - I wish my tree had leaves like yours. Looks cooler imo. Like a horse cheatnut. But I bet yours is Ohio buckeye, there does seem to be a lot of ’genetic variability’ that affects appearances.

Btw, I want to give a horse chestnut another shot, but they struggle even on the Front Range

Have you tried Gymnocladus dioicus? Kentucky Coffee Tree?

Rated down to zone 3, salt tolerant and higher alkaline tolerant.

Can take it dry after established.

I guess it can take winter winds well because of its sparse branching and rugged root system.

Another tough tree once used in the Great Plains Shelter Belt back in the '30s.

gleditsia triacanthos enermis

Yeah, I’ve planted about 10 or so honeylocust at work. all are doing great!

Someone planted a few KCTs about 5-7 years ago and they are all doing pretty dang well. Also a definite possibility for me. attractive trees too. Only draw back is thwy leaf out so late

Leafing out late can be a good thing, in areas where late frost is common.

Here's an interesting and easy read when you get time:

https://news.unl.edu/article-GreatPlainsSheterbelt:

How many trees do you grow with (Go Big) Blue flowers?

Can't go too far wrong with plants with Kentucky in their name...

2 cents, my coffeetrees do not like hot, dry weather. Doesn't permanently hurt them, but they drop alot of leaflets after a hot, dry spell. But then so do a number of other trees on my lot, like sugar maples, black cherries, black walnuts and birches.

All those great eastern North American species that are dialed into the vagaries of seasonal wetness and driness: I'll add Hackberry, Bitternut Hickory, and the echoes of White Ash past...

Black Locust is also notable -as an introduced species here - for this trait.

Did you say Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is an introduced species?

I thought it was native to Ky as well as other places in the US.

And let's not forget Quercus bicolor, we have a few outliers even in MN.

Bill, I think B locust was mostly an Appalachian tree when the settlers arrived -- now it's everywhere. It was often planted outside that range for fence post wood.....

I will post a distribution map for Robinia pseudoacacia.

While Black Locust is a North American native - like Maclura pomifera - it wasn't here in the Inner Bluegrass of central Kentucky nor westward in the state. But it wasn't far away, and as Ben notes, it's utility and it's promiscuity on disturbed and abused ground has led to it being relatively ubiquitous over a lot of the eastern U.S.

According to AIGL, this is where it exists today: Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes collaborative. I think I saw some along the bike trail a few weeks ago.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen black locust. I’d probably mistake it for caragena

While this thread is up, something about horsechestnuts to mention. Since seeing the breathtaking A. indicas at Kew on my first visit in 1993, this has been a 'holy grail' plant for me. I could never figure out why they are so rare in American commerce, or even botanical collections. I finally got to see the one at NCSU, in bloom, this year.

https://jcra.ncsu.edu/horticulture/our-plants/results.php?search=indica

It's in a terrible spot shaded out by other trees...the scape looked a little smallish, but with a straggling specimen like that, the lowest was 15' high at least, so I couldn't examine it closely without a ladder. And it might be smallish because it is shaded out! If it really is a 'Sydney Pearce', I don't why they wouldn't put such a rare (for the US) tree in a more prominent position. I can't drive down to NC just to check how it resists scorch, but if you're down there, feel free to check on it for me!

I feel like there's room for more breeding to improve these. I have A. turbinata whose leaves are very scorch resistant. I'm hoping it will cross with my 'Ft. McNair' to produce an 'indica' look-alike, or even first cross my A. turbinata with the A. chinensis at Scott Arboretum, since the Chinese trees have a better habit and somewhat showier flowers. Maybe one reason there hasn't been much crossing of them is they are agonizingly slow. I suspect my A. turbinata is still at least 3 years from flowering...after about 10 years in the ground. I might even treat my 'Planteriensis' with oryzalin to see if I can turn it into a crossable hexaploid.

So many plans for plants, so little time! lol

8-25-2025:

Here's mine, pretty much done for the season.

With the sun angle 13d less than the June equinox, I can probably remove the sunshade now. 41df last night.

The below is my Aesculus g. from last August 23rd, 2024: Showing there is much improvement this season. ;-)

I gave one of these seedlings and a BW seedling to one of my daughters, spring before last, she's very happy with the way they're growing out at her and dh place. The BW is the more robust grower of course.

I'd guess that big, thick stem on such a young'in in the top pic is the result of a big embryo in the big seed.

Yeah, I'm not that advanced to know what you mean. :-|

Not having the plant die is my first goal, then I take it as I go, after that. :-))

eta: I'm keeping it consistently moist, at least until the temperatures drop even more.

Forecasts say mid to high 70's for the next 10 days and not quite as cool for nights so we should see root elongation for a good month or two.

8-15-2026:

Aesculus Glabra from seed, 3rd season in the ground.

32" of new growth this season 45" tall.

It would've been leafier if it wasn't for the hail storm ealier this season.

Winter buds are setting.

Looking good.

It's coming along very nicely! You have much more patience than I do, to grow those from seed.

Thanks! It gives me something to do while I'm waiting for my other plants to grow. lol

I have quite an inventory of trees I've started from seed, some now 20 ft. tall.