Medium-sized tree which naturally occurs in lowlands. This buckeye prefers moist sites such as river bottoms and streambanks. It will grow on drier sites, but much slower and will not develop as attractively. Large spikes of green-yellow flowers bloom in May. This is one of the first trees to leaf out in spring and one of the first to lose its leaves in the fall. Summer leaf color is dark green and fall color is often orange-red. In the fall, a spiny fruit capsule splits open to expose the familiar, shiny brown, round seed. Buckeyes are relatively disease-free and can live 80-100 years.