What Is The State Tree of Ohio?
Ohio buckeye is the State Tree of Ohio. Aesculus glabra is the scientific name of Ohio buckeye and it is commonly known as American buckeye, fetid buckeye, and stinking buck-eye. It is also called horse chestnuts. Aesculus is the genus of the Ohio buckeye and A. glabra is its species. The Ohio’s State tree Ohio buckeye is belongs from the family of Sapindaceae, which is commonly found in eastern North America: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nebraska, Texas, and Georgia. It is also cultivates and abundantly grows in the far southwest of Ontario.
When a state bodies select a symbol for the state it should be represent extra ordinary design, quality, availability, expression, and usefulness, cultural, traditional and religious back ground, which go back thousands of years or its popularities. It is well-known tree all over the state Ohio for its distinctive beauty. On the basis of the facts mentioned above, on October 2, 1953 the Ohio buckeye was designated as the official state tree of Ohio.
Facts about Ohio’s State Tree (Ohio buckeye)
- Common name: American buckeye, fetid buckeye, and stinking buck-eye.
- Genus: Aesculus
- Species: Aesculus glabra
- Found in: In the states of eastern North America: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nebraska, Texas, and Georgia. It is also cultivates and abundantly grows in the far southwest of Ontario
- Flower: The flowers of Ohio buckeye are creamy yellowish green in color and very showy, which appears in upright clusters. Typically it is “polygamo-monoecious” flower that bears both bisexual and male flowers. Stamens are longer than petals generating just before or with the foliage.
- Bark: In the beginning the bark are smooth, ashy gray , which are developing corky, scaly patches and become rather rough and darker gray.
- Leaf: The leaves of Ohio buckeye are contrary, palmate composited leaves, which are grows clean and medium green in spring. Every leaf has five leaflets, and they are a few smaller in both long and wide in size than Yellow Buckeye if compares, for that reason it make confusion to identify. Also, leaflets of Ohio buckeye are not compound at their bases like those of Horsechestnut.
- Fruits: The fruits of the Buckeye are called “Nut”, which are prickly and nearly spherical, up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and enclose one, two, or three seeds. The seeds are smooth, mahogany colored with a large gray spot. The Buckeye Nut comes from the Indian word “hetuck” which means eye-of-a-buck. The fruits have been matured in the period of August to September.
- Purpose: Occasionally ornamental.
- Symbolism: Fertility, provision, abundance, longevity, invigoration
The Ohio’s State tree Ohio buckeye grows well in moist, well-drained soils of variable pH that are affluent and deep, in sunny to partially shaded situations. It adapts to normal soils that are rarely dry, but reasonable to heavy leaf burn will develop by midsummer, especially when sited in full sun. Ohio buckeye prefers shady conditions in its early stages and grows in full sun to full shade from childhood through maturity.
The Ohio’s State tree Ohio buckeye is naturally soft and light wood. It has been used as raw materials of paper, pulp and moldings Industries; it is also used in little quantities for different kinds of woodenware, crates, veneer, and toys. All parts of the buckeye plant i.e. leaves, bark, fruits are extremely toxic if ingested. It has glycoside aesculin, the saponin aescin, and possibly alkaloids properties. The indications like muscle weakness and paralysis, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor. Many landowners have eradicated it to prevent livestock poisoning.
To sum up, Ohio buckeye is the people’s favorite State Tree of Ohio, which symbolized Fertility, provision, abundance, longevity, and invigoration and it outstandingly represents and glorifies the spirit of Ohio culture.
