Bottlebrush buckeye facts for kids
Aesculus parviflora, also known as the bottlebrush buckeye, is a type of shrub that loses its leaves in the fall. It grows in the southeastern United States, mainly in Alabama and Georgia. You can also find a small group of them in South Carolina near the Savannah River. This plant naturally grows in moist forests, on bluffs, and in ravines.
It's very important to know that this plant is poisonous if eaten by humans. Eating it can cause muscle weakness, problems moving, throwing up, and diarrhea. It can also be harmful to pets. So, always remember to look but never touch or taste!
Contents
About the Bottlebrush Buckeye
The bottlebrush buckeye usually grows to be about 2 to 4 meters (6 to 13 feet) tall. Its leaves grow in pairs and look like a hand with 5 to 7 smaller leaves, called leaflets. Each leaflet is about 12 to 22 cm (5 to 9 inches) long and 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) wide. They have smooth edges.
Flowers and Seeds
The plant gets its name from its beautiful flowers. They grow in tall, upright clusters that look like a bottle brush, reaching 20 to 50 cm (8 to 20 inches) long. Each flower has small white petals and long, sticking-out stamens (the part that holds pollen) that are 3 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 inches) long. After the flowers, the plant produces pear-shaped capsules. These capsules hold shiny, brown seeds.
The scientific name parviflora comes from Latin. It means "small-flowered," which describes the individual flowers on the plant.
Growing Bottlebrush Buckeyes
People often plant Aesculus parviflora in gardens because it's a very pretty ornamental plant. It blooms in August, and its flowers are great for attracting butterflies! This plant likes soil that is moist and drains well. It grows best in places that get some shade or even full shade. In the United States, it can grow well in many different climates, from colder areas to warmer ones.
History of Discovery
The first person to write about this shrub was William Bartram. He was a naturalist and explorer who traveled through Carolina, Georgia, and Florida between 1773 and 1778. Even though it was known for a long time, it didn't become very common in American gardens.
The bottlebrush buckeye was brought to British gardens by John Fraser. He made his first trip to the American South in 1785 to find new plants. Fraser shared his plant discoveries with nurseries and people who loved plants in England. By 1820, you could find this shrub in most plant nurseries there. This plant has even won an important award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for its excellent qualities.
Gallery
-
How the plant typically grows
-
A wild plant showing its usual shape
-
Close-up of leaf veins
-
Another view of leaf veins
-
The leaves of the plant
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
See also
In Spanish: Aesculus parviflora para niños
