Overview & Description

Prairie Torch® Buckeye (Aesculus x ‘Bergeson’) is a very winter-hardy hybrid buckeye selected in northwestern Minnesota and introduced by North Dakota State University in collaboration with Bergeson Nursery. It is a considerable improvement over the species (Ohio Buckeye), with a faster growth rate, more uniformly rounded form, and reliable fall colour. In spring, it features showy spikes of creamy-white to yellow-green flowers rising above the foliage. Its dark green, palmately compound leaves have 7 leaflets that incline downward in an umbrella-like fashion, lending a tropical appearance. In autumn, the foliage transforms into a brilliant, consistent orange-red to pumpkin-orange—far superior to the species’ often inconsistent colour. Spiny, golf ball-sized capsules appear in fall, attracting wildlife.

Growth & Size

This variety exhibits a dense, globose form that broadens with age, becoming more mushroom-shaped. It is a moderate to fast-growing tree, typically reaching a mature size of about 30 feet in height with a similar spread of 30 feet. It grows at a fast rate and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

Additional Notes

It blooms in early to mid-May. Hardy to Zone 3, it is resistant to leaf scorch, drought-sensitive but tolerates urban pollution. Prefers full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained, adaptable soils. Spiny seeds may necessitate clean-up in fall. An outstanding choice for boulevard, small shade, or landscape specimen tree.