Red Buckeye

Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is in the soapberry family family (Sapindaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,107 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Nationally it blooms mainly from March to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.

When to photograph Red Buckeye: observations by month (U.S.)

About Red Buckeye

Aesculus pavia, known as red buckeye or firecracker plant, is a species of deciduous flowering plant. The small tree or shrub is native to the southern and eastern parts of the United States, found from Illinois to Virginia in the north and from Texas to Florida in the south.It is hardy far to the north of its native range, with successful cultivation poleward to Arboretum Mustila in Finland.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Red Buckeye by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related wildflowers (soapberry family)

Red MapleAcer rubrum

California buckeyeAesculus californica

Norway mapleAcer platanoides

Box ElderAcer negundo

Bigleaf MapleAcer macrophyllum

Photography tips

• Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
• Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
• Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
• Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.

FAQ