Buckeye Seeds

[BlueBee]

Does anybody have advice for germinating buckeye seeds? 

Got some buckeyes from a Aesculus Pavia tree I would like to germinate.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

I read they need 4 months cold stratify, so I'd just plant them outside and mark them with a post. I was at a few wholesale nurseries selling them. A 1' tall sapling was apparently only one year old. What they had in 3' 5' and 7' gallon pots weren't much farther behind. So they're fast growing plants.

[BlueBee]

Thanks Mr Ants, most places I’ve read suggest a cold stratification too. 

I have grown A. pavia from seeds the past two seasons and have tried various approaches.

Dirr says that A. pavia and A.parviflora need no stratification to germinate.  I have had success with no cold stratification but then the plants are WAY out of phase with nature and that causes a new set of problems come spring!  On the other extreme I have stored seeds in a refrigerator (never below 32F) all winter and had 0% germination in the spring. 

I’m going to try something a little different this time.  I put my buckeyes (A. pavia, A parviflora, A. trubinata) in some rubbermaids and set them outside.  It’s already pretty chilly here.  The plan is to leave them out there until probably mid November.  Then bring them inside and raise them inside until spring.  I’ve never seen a buckeye seed survive a Michigan winter outside, it’s just too cold.  Hence I think I need to bring them in at some point.

[Rex "Hawk" Smith]

Last week, I was just given a few buckeye seeds from my parent's land.  I'm not particularly sure of their variety, though.  I understand that the Mexican buckeye is a good nectar source, but I'm not sure of the native Texas varieties (deep East Texas - Gilmer area).

Rex S.

[BlueBee]

Hawk, I didn’t see the Mexican Buckeye (latin name Ungnadia speciosa) listed in “American Honey Plants” by Frank Pellett 1920.  So I have no idea about the honey, but if the tree has flowers like this one from your Texas A&M web site, it looks like a fine addition to have!


I should also note that Michael Dirr DOES suggest a cold stratification for germinating buckeyes (of the species Aesculus)

[MrILoveTheAnts]

Last week, I was just given a few buckeye seeds from my parent's land.  I'm not particularly sure of their variety, though.  I understand that the Mexican buckeye is a good nectar source, but I'm not sure of the native Texas varieties (deep East Texas - Gilmer area).

Rex S.

It is native according to the USDA.