Ohio Buckeye Tree

Most people are aware that Ohio is known as the Buckeye State, but why? How did a state become associated with a nut-bearing tree? During football season the folks in Michigan probably have a few ideas of their own.

One of the stories is that it originated from the presidential campaign of General William Henry Harrison n 1840.

A log cabin decorated with raccoon skins and a string of buckeyes became the symbol of Harrison's campaign. The following became his campaign song:

"Oh where, tell me where was your buckeye cabin made?
Twas built among the merry boys who wield the plough and spade,
Where the log cabins stand, in the bonnie buckeye shade.

Oh what, tell me what is to be your cabin's fate?
We'll wheel it to the capital and place it there elate,
for a token and a sign of the bonnie Buckeye state."

As a result, citizens of Ohio became known as "Buckeyes."

Buckeye Tree with Kings Canyon in the Background, Kings Canyon National Park, California Photographic Print
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Ohio Buckeye, the state tree of Ohio, is found primarily as an understory tree in the western half of Ohio, where the soils are more alkaline in pH. However, it is scattered throughout the eastern half of the state, except in extreme northeastern and extreme southeastern Ohio. Its lightweight wood is used in the production of artificial limbs, and the holding of a "buckeye nut" in one's pocket is considered good luck.

A native of the Midwestern and Great Plains states, trees found in the open may reach 60 feet tall by 30 feet wide, but as a native understory it is often half that size. As a member of the Horsechestnut Family, it is related to other Horsechestnuts and Buckeyes, including man-made hybrids between the species.

Planting Requirements - Ohio Buckeye prefers moist, well-drained soils of variable pH that are rich and deep, in partially sunny to partially shaded conditions. It adapts to average soils that are occasionally dry, but moderate to heavy leaf scorch will develop by mid summer, especially when sited in full sun. Ohio Buckeye prefers shady conditions in its youth, but grows in full sun to full shade from youth through maturity, and is found in zones 4 to 7.

Potential Problems - Ohio Buckeye often suffers from leaf blotch, leaf scorch, and powdery mildew on its foliage, which also plagues the closely related Horsechestnut (but not Yellow Buckeye). As such, Ohio Buckeye should be planted in partially shaded to fully shaded conditions for best foliage health in mid- to late summer. However, it should be planted in partial sun to full sun for best floral and nut production (preferably with supplemental irrigation during summer).

Early travelers and explorers carried the rare and curious buckeye to the east with them and reported the Aesculus glabra's highly prized medicinal properties and talismanic attribute of wisdom. The extracts from the inner bark of the nut has been used in cerebro-spinal treatments. Some believe that the buckeye relieves rheumatism pain and provides good fortune when carried in the pockets of their garments or worn as an amulet around the neck. Instantly dubbed "buckeye" in frontier speech, the mysterious nut was used as a general cure-all for generations.

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-1/4 cup peanut butter
4 Tbsp. butter

Melted chocolate for dipping

Combine powdered sugar with peanut butter and butter. Mix together well.

Roll mixture into 1 inch balls and insert a tooth pick for dunking into melted chocolate. Set chocolate coated balls on wax paper to set. By not having the candy completely covered in chocolate makes end result looks like a buckeye nut.

You can press the mixture into a tree shaped cookie cutter before dipping into the chocolate for a Buckeye Tree shaped candy treat.

Photo courtesy of Heather 3.0

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