Aesculus x bushii ‘Aaron #1’ – Mystic Ruby™ Buckeye

Botanical Name: Aesculus x bushii ‘Aaron #1’

The Mystic Ruby Buckeye (Aesculus x bushii ‘Aaron #1’) is an improved and hardier variety of the Ohio Buckeye tree. This selection was developed by Mike Yanny of JN Plant Selections and Johnson’s Nursery. It is a small, deciduous tree, which grows into a beautifully rounded-oval shaped specimen with open branching. This buckeye  grows to a height of 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide.

The coarse, dense foliage of the Mystic Ruby Buckeye not only provides good shade but also provides shelter for wildlife. The leaves are palmately compound and an attractive dark green. They will hold their deep color throughout the spring and summer. Like another improved buckeye hybrid, the Early Glow Buckeye (Aesculus glabra ‘J.N. Select’), the Mystic Ruby Buckeye also has superior resistance to leaf scorch and leaf blotch. This cross is also one of the hardiest buckeyes available and can withstand very cold temperatures.

Mystic Ruby Buckeye produces pinkish red flowers in the spring, providing a beautiful, radiant display. The flowers are typical of other species of Aesculus; they contrast with the deep green, coarse-leaved foliage, rising above the leaves. The blooms are borne on upright panicles that are about 4-7 inches in length and grow at the end of the branches. These flowers are attractive to bees and other wildlife. This buckeye tree produces many edible nuts.