Practical
Plants

Aesculus californica

Californian Buckeye

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Aesculus genus in the family Hippocastanaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
12 m
Spread
10 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed is rich in saponins. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K]. The flowers of this plant are toxic to bees[19].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked[10][13][14][18][19][20]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a gruel[7]. The seed contains about 23% protein and has an agreeable taste[9]. The seed is large, and can be up to 5cm in diameter[17]. It is often produced abundantly in the warmer areas of Britain and is easily harvested[K]. This was the most commonly used Aesculus species in N. America[9]. It does, however, contain poisonous saponins (see the notes above on toxicity) and so needs careful preparation before being eaten. The seed needs to be leached of these toxins before it becomes safe to eat - the Indians would do this by slow-roasting the nuts (which would have rendered the saponins harmless) and then cutting them into thin slices, putting them into a cloth bag and rinsing them in a stream for 2 - 5 days[9]. Most of the minerals etc would also have been leached out by this treatment[K].

Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed contains saponins and can be used as an expectorant[19]. The crushed fruit is applied as a salve on haemorrhoids[12]. A decoction of the bark is used in the treatment of toothache and loose teeth[12].

Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Odontalgic
Product or use
Salve

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed is rich in saponins, these are used as a soap substitute[5]. The saponins can be easily obtained by chopping the seed into small pieces and infusing them in hot water. This water can then be used for washing the body, clothes etc. Its main drawback is a lingering odour of horse chestnuts[K]. Wood - soft, light, very close grained[17]. Of no value as a lumber[11]. The wood was used as friction sticks for making fire by the North American Indians[12].

Product or use
Friction sticks
Product or use
Soap
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - California.
Habitat
Moist stream borders, scrub and the edges of oak and pine woods in canyons and dry slopes below 1200 metres[15][6][11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown outdoors or in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[1][16]. The seed germinates almost immediately and must be given protection from severe weather[4]. The seed has a very limited viability and must not be allowed to dry out. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing and even after this may still not be viable[16][2]. It is best to sow the seed with its 'scar' downwards[4]. If sowing the seed in a cold frame, pot up the seedlings in early spring and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a deep loamy well-drained soil but is not too fussy[1]. Requires a position in full sun[8]. Prefers dry sunny locations[3]. Although fairly hardy throughout Britain, it grows best in areas where winter temperatures do not fall below -10°c[8]. A moderately fast-growing and long-lived tree in the wild[11], in Britain it grows best in eastern and south-eastern England. Plants thrives at Kew[1]. Most members of this genus transplant easily, even when fairly large[1].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  3. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 6. 1984 - 1985. Royal Horticultural Society 1984-00-00

    ↩

  4. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

    ↩

  6. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

    ↩

  7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  9. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

    ↩

  11. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  14. Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948-00-00

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  15. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

    ↩

  16. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2

  17. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

  18. Balls. E. K. Early Uses of Californian Plants. University of California Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-520-00072-2

    ↩

  19. Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962-00-00 ISBN 0-911010-54-8

    ↩1↩2↩3

  20. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3

    ↩

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