Art Lander’s Outdoors: The buckeye is a fascinating tree species whose name is synonymous with luck

Buckeyes are immortalized in folklore and sports tradition as a good luck charm.

In past generations, fathers and grandfathers carried a “lucky” buckeye in their pockets daily.

Ohio State University sports fans roll a buckeye in their fingers during dramatic moments in a game, and wear necklaces of buckeyes around their necks in support of their teams.

The buckeye tree

The buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is the state tree of Ohio, hence the common name Ohio Buckeye. In the western reaches of its range another accepted common name is the Texas Buckeye.

A species of deciduous tree, the buckeye is in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae).

Buckeye trees can grow to 70 feet in height. Their palmate, compound leaves have five to seven long, broad leaflets that turn yellowish to orange in the fall.

Buckeye trees are found in a variety of habitats, thriving in limestone-rich soils. They are most often found growing on stream banks, where seeds may be swept downstream, during high water events. They also thrive in wet areas of upland forests, and along the margins of old fields.

The fruit is a round, greenish capsule that grows during the summer to about 2 inches in diameter, turning brown in the fall, and splitting apart, so that the nut-like brown seeds fall to the ground.

Buckeyes contain tannic acid and are poisonous to humans and cattle. The young foliage, shoots, and bark are also somewhat poisonous.

Native Americans boiled buckeyes in water to extract tannin, used to tan deer skins and other hides.

Range and distribution

The buckeye is a native to Kentucky, with the highest populations in the Bluegrass Region.

The tree is scarce or absent in the Jackson Purchase Region and the Appalachians in the southeastern corner of the state, bordering West Virginia and Virginia.

The buckeye tree’s range in the east central U.S. and extends from central Texas, north through parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and into Iowa, east across parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and far western Pennsylvania, and south to Tennessee. There are also small populations as far south as Alabama and Mississippi.

History and folklore

“Buckeye” was a term of endearment for the pioneers on the Ohio frontier.

Ohio State University adopted “Buckeyes” officially as its nickname in 1950, and the term is applied to its sports teams, students or graduates of the university.

Brutus Buckeye is the athletics mascot of Ohio State University. He made his debut in 1965. As a member of the spirit squad, Brutus Buckeye travels to sports games with the cheerleaders and often makes “celebrity” appearances around the Columbus area.

Buckeye candy, made to resemble the tree’s nut, is made by dipping a ball of peanut butter fudge in milk chocolate, leaving a circle of the peanut butter exposed.

The candy is a popular treat in Ohio, especially during the Christmas holidays, and football season.

The buckeye is a fascinating native tree species, but not as abundant as one might think.

When driving rural backroads along small streams in the fall keep an eye out for their distinctive brown fruits. Find a tree dropping its seeds and the ground will literally be covered. You’ll find a treasure trove of “lucky” Buckeyes for family and friends.