Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens

Tree of the month series - this series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens is compiled by members of the Friends group and Gardens staff. We aim to build up to a comprehensive archive of trees in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Each article will illustrate a tree growing in Belfast Botanic Gardens together with information from a range of sources. Click here to view the tree archive

Tree of the Month, January 2010

Yellow Buckeye

Aesculus flava

Jon Pilcher

Although this handsome buckeye is a hardy native of the Appalachian Mountains it is seldom seen in the British Isles. In its native habitat it can achieve 43m tall. The typical 'horse chestnut' leaves are a bright glossy green.The flowers are a creamy yellow. The fine specimen in the Belfast Botanic Gardens is unfortunately hidden among rather dense shrubery and close to a large weeping ash. As the photographs show the crown of the buckeye stands clear of the other vegetation

Yellow buckeye in Belfast Botanic Gardens	Yellow buckeye in Belfast Botanic Gardens
Flowering branches of yellow buckeye	Leaf of yellow buckeye
Yellow buckeye flowers - Belfast Botanic Gardens	Yellow buckeye flowers - Belfast Botanic Gardens

Photos taken in 2009 in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Copyright Jon Pilcher