Ohio’s state tree is the buckeye, adopted in 1953. Its nuts resemble deer eyes and were used by William Henry Harrison’s followers for campaign mementos. The tree is vulnerable to leaf diseases and prefers a shaded, moist environment. It can grow up to 60 feet tall and is similar in appearance to the horse chestnut tree.
Ohio’s state tree is the buckeye, or Aesculus glabra. This tree was officially adopted as the symbol of the Ohio state tree in 1953. Its importance to Ohio state history is said to date back to Ohio’s William Henry Harrison presidential campaign, which took place in 1840. Harrison’s followers from Ohio are said to have used the wood of the buckeye tree to carve their campaign mementos, a gesture likely intended to show their support for their fellow Ohioans’ campaign. The horse chestnut tree is typically found growing throughout Ohio, most commonly along the state’s waterways and in its western lowlands.
The buckeye tree gets its name because its nuts resemble the eyes of deer. The Ohio state tree is similar in appearance to the horse chestnut, a related species. Buckeye generally has smaller, more oval-shaped leaves and its pods typically produce only one nut each. These nuts, usually referred to as Buckeyes, are usually more bumpy in appearance than horse chestnuts and have a larger pale spot. Additionally, buckeye nuts are usually smooth and round, while horse chestnuts typically have a distinctly flattened side. Some Ohio residents believe that carrying a deer brings good luck.
The horse chestnut tree usually has a delicate, ridged coating of bark. The bark is normally brown or gray in appearance. Cracks in the bark of the Ohio state tree generally deepen and lengthen with age. The typical Buckeye tree grows clusters of five leaves. The Ohio state tree is considered vulnerable to diseases that affect the leaves, and it is not uncommon to see these trees lose their leaves several weeks before the end of the summer season.
These trees can reach a maximum height of about 60 feet (18.3 meters) and can be up to 30 feet (9.2 meters) in diameter, although most specimens don’t get that large. They generally require a somewhat shaded environment, with moist soil that has adequate drainage. Ohio state tree usually gets a little hardier as it grows. Too much direct sunlight is known to be detrimental to these trees and can contribute to a condition known as leaf scorch.
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