The Buckeye/Horse Chestnut collection began in the fall of 1958 with the first plantings being the Ohio buckeye, horse chestnut ‘baumanii’, and bottlebrush buckeye, a shrubby deciduous variety of the buckeye family. The specimens in the Buckeye collection are among the first to bloom each spring and the first to lose their foliage in the fall.
In the December 1977 issue of American Nurseryman, an article by Mike Dirr, who was then Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Illinois, stated that Bernheim’s collection of bottlebrush buckeye was one of very few plantings of (Aesculus parviflora) in the country that regularly produced seed. Since that article appeared, seed from this planting has been requested by and sent to nurserymen and institutions all over the country.
Come visit these and other Buckeye specimens as we celebrate our 90th anniversary here at Bernheim!
- Aesculus flava (yellow buckeye)
- Aecculus glabra (Ohio buckeye)
- Aesculus glabra ‘arguta’ (Texas buckeye)
- Aesculus hippocastaneum (common horsechestnut)
- Aesculus parviflora (bottlebrush buckeye)
- Aesculus pavia (red buckeye)
- Aesculus turbinata (Japanese horsechestnut)
In 2019, Bernheim celebrates 90 years of connecting people with nature. At over 25 square miles, Bernheim is the largest privately held forest dedicated to conservation and education in the region. Our arboretum is home to plant collections of over 8,000 varieties, public art, and educational programming for thousands of students. Our pristine forest hosts hikers and outdoor adventures alongside research and conservation projects which will serve to protect the environment for future generations.
As a 100% member and donor supported organization, we could not fulfill this important mission without you. We hope you’ll continue to support our efforts throughout the next 90 years. Join or donate by clicking here.