Family Sapindaceae
Originating from USA (Alabama, Georgia)
Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
- White/pink flushed pollinator attracting flower spikes bloom in summer.
- Large and showy deciduous bronze-flushed palmate young leaves are borne on shrubby upright branches.
- Easy to grow in any soil in full sun or part shade.
Bottlebrush Buckeye in Your Garden
Pink and white bottlebrush flowering shrub spikes, 30cm long, sweetly scented, blissful for pollinators, are borne atop lush and handsome palmate leaves. It has all the majesty of the most spectacular flowering tree we can grow in the UK, the Horse Chestnut. However, this miniature scented, summer flowering shrub is suitable for medium-sized UK gardens.
From the emergence of its red-flushed new leaves in spring to their autumn blaze of gold, this bottlebrush flowering shrub is spectacular. Its vigorous spring foliage mellows from bronzy red to fresh rich green, and is borne on slender burgundy-flushed stems. Its dense cluster of upright branches forms a slowly spreading shrub.
The leaves darken as the tall candle-like flower spikes emerge; by midsummer they burst into delicate filamentous spikes of white/pink-flushed flowers. Their pollen-laden stamens project far beyond the tubular petals at their base. It forms a vigorous shrub, reaching 3m high and 4m wide in 10–20 years.
Care Tips for Bottlebrush Buckeye
- Soil and Sun: Thrives in all but waterlogged soil in full sun or part shade.
- Planting: Set at any time of year, plunging its root ball to drench before planting. Summer planting requires extra attention to watering.
- Watering: Keep moist in first year; tolerates moderate dry spells once mature.
- Pruning: None required. Suckers are easily removed with a sharp spade in late winter if you wish to control its spread.
The Bottlebrush Buckeye looks supremely elegant in traditional Norfolk country gardens or Suffolk’s coastal gravel-style planting schemes. Its abundantly lush character and profuse floral display even fits jungle and exotic styles. This is one of our most desirable deciduous plants. Its show-stopping season-long display, adaptability to all garden styles, and hardiness in all UK gardens is unique.
Planting Ideas for the scented summer flowering shrub, Aesculus parviflora
Simply plant this stunning shrub in a rolling lawn and let it take centre stage. Its bold and bountiful character has enough presence to command a starring role, unaccompanied. Alternatively, use its adaptability to dappled shade and plant in a jungle garden. Surround it with other palmate or lobed foliage like Schefflera taiwaniana, Rodgersia pinnata, Tetrapanax rex, and Fatsia japonica ‘Tsumugi-shibori’.
Set it amongst other spiky-flowered shrubs and revel in the fireworks of bottlebrushes and conical blooms. Additionally, such a composition will create a smorgasbord of delights for local pollinators. Buddleja weyeriana ‘Bicolor’, ‘Royal Red’, alternifolia, and ‘Buzz Wine’ add their conical spikes in early summer. Buddleja colvilei and the late flush of Callistemon ‘Injune’ join the Buckeye in late summer.
