Red Buckeye - Ask Extension
I would like to purchase a Red Buckeye but I am having troubles finding it in local nurseries and I do not trust the online stores nor my ability to p...
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Red Buckeye #927531
Asked April 04, 2026, 6:43 PM EDT
I would like to purchase a Red Buckeye but I am having troubles finding it in local nurseries and I do not trust the online stores nor my ability to plant succesfully when it is as small as the ones I woudl be able to order online, plus its a slow growing tree so I would like to get it a bit more mature. Any suggestions of where I can get it?
New Castle County Delaware
Expert Response
Thank you for reaching out to Extension and for inquiring about the Red Buckeye tree Aesculus pavia. It is a stunning tree and an early resource for hummingbirds. Now you got me thinking I should get one too after removing a lot of non-native trees that were felled during our last storm.
I also appreciate your wanting to get it local. This tree isn’t commonly known and isn’t always on the lot at nurseries. So here would be my approach.
1. Contact Mount Cuba Center. Mt Cuba is our region’s most preeminent native public garden. They feature the tree on their website Mt Cuba occasionally sells what they grow, although that is mostly in the perennial line, however, they might be able to share where they source the tree, and who a reliable supplier might be if they go out of state.
2. University of Delaware Botanic Garden. If memory serves, they have a Buckeye on site. They also have sales and if not available for sale, might be able to provide where to obtain one.
3. Contact a local nursery that specializes in natives and ask them to order one. They probably do so in the fall when they place their orders so you may or may not have luck this season. In Sussex, there is a nursery in the Bethany area (we are asked not to endorse one business over another) and I had a request for hard to find “Haas Halo” hydrangea and a specific red twig dogwood Cornus sericea and they were able to do so for me. I got multiples of each however. But I doubt big box stores would do that or could do that. You can also reach out to the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association and ask them which nurseries in your area specialize in natives plants.
Start with those three first to keep it on the local tract. I also Googled “where is the best most reliable nursery to order native trees online like the red buckeye? And was provided with a list of four highly-rated online sellers. The first on the list were sold out. The second had 14 in stock.
Good luck and let us know how you fared!
I also appreciate your wanting to get it local. This tree isn’t commonly known and isn’t always on the lot at nurseries. So here would be my approach.
1. Contact Mount Cuba Center. Mt Cuba is our region’s most preeminent native public garden. They feature the tree on their website Mt Cuba occasionally sells what they grow, although that is mostly in the perennial line, however, they might be able to share where they source the tree, and who a reliable supplier might be if they go out of state.
2. University of Delaware Botanic Garden. If memory serves, they have a Buckeye on site. They also have sales and if not available for sale, might be able to provide where to obtain one.
3. Contact a local nursery that specializes in natives and ask them to order one. They probably do so in the fall when they place their orders so you may or may not have luck this season. In Sussex, there is a nursery in the Bethany area (we are asked not to endorse one business over another) and I had a request for hard to find “Haas Halo” hydrangea and a specific red twig dogwood Cornus sericea and they were able to do so for me. I got multiples of each however. But I doubt big box stores would do that or could do that. You can also reach out to the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association and ask them which nurseries in your area specialize in natives plants.
Start with those three first to keep it on the local tract. I also Googled “where is the best most reliable nursery to order native trees online like the red buckeye? And was provided with a list of four highly-rated online sellers. The first on the list were sold out. The second had 14 in stock.
Good luck and let us know how you fared!
