Painted buckeye
Aesculus sylvatica
Last reviewed: November 2026
Painted buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica) is a perennial shrub native to AL, GA, NC, SC and 2 more states. It blooms in April and May. The flowers draw bees and hummingbirds.
Watering reminders and freeze alerts for Painted buckeye, free in the app.
Painted buckeye is toxic to dogs and cats.
Listed as toxic by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-08-15). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and your veterinarian's emergency line.
The Pollinator Patch App flags toxic plants so you can choose a native alternative that is not on the ASPCA toxic plant list.
Native swaps for a yard with pets
Painted buckeye is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. These natives fill a similar role in a planting and are not on the ASPCA toxic plant list for dogs or cats. Each plant's page carries its dated record.
Light
part shade
Water
medium
Size
72"–180" H × 72"–180" W
Bloom
Apr, May
Native to
AL, GA, NC, SC and 2 more states
Pollinators
bees, hummingbirds
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 461 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaPicture natives in your own yard
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Browse plants for this ecoregion
A multi-stemmed understory shrub or small tree with palmate leaves and upright spikes of pale yellow to cream flowers in spring, followed by smooth brown seed capsules. Often forms loose colonial thickets in shaded woods.
Growing Painted buckeye
Grow Painted buckeye in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 72 to 180 inches tall and spread 72 to 180 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Spring flower spikes are visited by early-season bees and hummingbirds.
Common questions
- How much sun does Painted buckeye need?
- Painted buckeye grows best in part shade conditions.
- When does Painted buckeye bloom?
- Painted buckeye blooms in April and May.
- Where is Painted buckeye native?
- Painted buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica) is native to AL, GA, NC, SC and 2 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- Is Painted buckeye toxic to dogs?
- Yes. Painted buckeye is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Painted buckeye toxic to cats?
- Yes. Painted buckeye is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- What pollinators does Painted buckeye attract?
- Painted buckeye draws bees and hummingbirds.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants like Painted buckeye and shows natives not flagged toxic to pets for your ecoregion instead.