# Strange tree with nuts/fruit? Please help ID.



## Acer Rubrum (Nov 23, 2011)

I found this very small tree, when driving down a dirt road, and was curious. Can anyone tell me what it is? I have never seen this before. Thank you in advance.


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## Acer Rubrum (Nov 23, 2011)

http://s138.photobucket.com/user/browneyedgirlof68/slideshow/

I am trying to get the pics to show up.


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## Acer Rubrum (Nov 23, 2011)

http://s138.photobucket.com/user/browneyedgirlof68/library/

Still trying. Sorry.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

If you are from Ohio I will have to make fun of you. Those are buckeyes. Won't be ready to fall from the tree for a few more weeks though.

Or they could be horse chestnuts. The two are very similar and I have trouble telling them apart.


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## Acer Rubrum (Nov 23, 2011)

Thank you. No, I am not from Ohio. LOL
If I wanted to plant some of the nuts/seeds to grow a tree in my yard, do I need to wait for them to fall from the tree? Or could I pick them, dry them out, and then plant them?
Thank you.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Wait for them to fall then plant them in some sort of squirrel proof structure and they should come up in late spring.

Just a little info on buckeyes:
http://cfaes.osu.edu/news/articles/ohio-state-fans-7-things-know-about-growing-ohio-buckeye-tree


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## Fennick (Apr 16, 2013)

Danaus29 said:


> If you are from Ohio I will have to make fun of you. Those are buckeyes. Won't be ready to fall from the tree for a few more weeks though.
> 
> *Or they could be horse chestnuts. The two are very similar and I have trouble telling them apart*.


Those are buckeyes. It's easier to tell the buckeye and horse chestnut apart if you can see the flowers and fruits of each.

Horse chestnut seed pods grow sharper, stiffer, thicker, longer, more woody spines sticking out all over the fleshy seed casings than buckeye does. They don't have a bad smell when crushed but spiders don't like the off-gas from them and people here use them to deter spiders inside houses. 

Also the flowers on the candelabras are a different colour. Horse chestnut flowers are cream, pink and red with pale yellow centers and they smell nice. Buckeye flowers have very little if any pink or red in them and have lots more yellows, oranges and yellowish ivory color with orangey centers. They have a bit of a sickly-sweet odour.

Here for comparison is horse chestnut seed casing with spines on it.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Fennick, Thank you very very much! I have asked several people and tried to find the difference in several books and on websites but never have I found such a simple and instructive explanation as the one you just gave.


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