Bottlebrush buckeye is a deciduous suckering shrub in the maple family (Sapindaceae) that is native to GA, AL, FL and SC. It can be found growing in moist rich woods and ravines. Although it is native to the southeast it is hardy to zone 5 and easily grown in NC. This shrub prefers shade to part shade conditions in rich fertile well-drained moist soil. It is intolerant of drought, especially at a young age. The shrub will grow 8-12 feet tall and 8-15 feet wide and spread to form colonies. The flowers occur in upright panicles in early summer and consist of many small tubular white flowers with extruded red stamens. Blooming can be quite spectacular. The compound leaves stay attractive all year unlike many buckeyes and the fall color is an attractive yellow. Flowers are followed by the nut called a buckeye and are not edible. Shrubs grown further north don't produce many fruits. Use this shrub as a hedge for shady areas, along ponds and streams, in a woodland garden or as a specimen. It's flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Quick ID Hints : Opposite, palmately compound leaves, slightly pubescent Erect inflorescence, white flowers Stamens extend out 1 inch from petals Buds appear white when small 8-12' tall, 8-15' wide, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It is more tolerant of disease and insects than most buckeyes. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Open; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Oblong; Obovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Serrate
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Opposite palmately compound leaves with 5 to 7 leaflets; medium to dark green; golden yellow to yellow-green fall color. Leaflets are each 3-8" long and 1-4" wide, medium to dark green above, gray-green and pubescent below, serrulate-crenate margin, petiole 3-5".
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Creamy, white, spidery flowers in summer on 6-12 inch erect panicles with red anthers. These flowers are white, long, terminal clusters, each with stamens longer than the 4 petals. Individual flowers are 1/2 inch across.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
This plant has 1 to 3 in. pear-shaped smooth, leathery capsules containing a polished, brown seed that opens in late September/October. Seeds have the pale "buck eye" scar
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Raised lenticels on gray/brown stem. Buds appear white when small, usually 4 scales showing.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Al, GA, SC, FL
Distribution
AL, DC, GA, NJ, PA, FL, SC
Wildlife value
attracts pollinators, hummingbirds and eastern swallowtail butterflies
Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Particularly resistant to
tolerates some drought, foliage is relatively disease-free, and can be severely pruned to rejuvenate
Poison severity
Medium
Poison parts
Bark; Flowers; Fruits; Leaves; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
Poisonous if ingested especially the nuts. Symptoms may include muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor.