This past October the red buckeyes (
Aesculus pavia) produced an impressively large crop of fruits. You can see a few sample photos
here. The handsome seeds called out for attention. Rather than allowing them to litter the ground, a simple, low-budget germination project was undertaken.
The first, and most difficult, step in the project was to select the germination locations. All of our established red buckeyes grow in partial to heavy shade, which results in plenty of beautiful spring flowers and an open form. Since this species is known to adopt a different form in sunny growing conditions, a full sun location was desired in order to showcase the range of the species. The grassy slope on the north side of Cline Hall was selected for its openness. Eight individual spots, spread out from one another, were chosen: two spots are in full sun and the remaining six are positioned in partial sun.
After the locations were selected, the rest of the project went quickly. Shallow holes were dug. Approximately four, freshly collected seeds, in perfect condition, were dropped into each hole and then covered with a mixture of rich, dark soil and coarsely mulched leaves. After the seeds were covered, the ground was lightly stamped and then watered thoroughly. The holes were not allowed to get too dry, which meant that, due to the lack of rain, the holes were watered two additional times. Today, in the first week of January, six out of the eight spots have at least one seedling.
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| Red buckeye seeds were collected and planted at the beginning of November. The seedlings started to pop up in late December. |
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| Red buckeye seedling (January 3, 2020) |
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| Red buckeye seedling (January 3, 2020) |
