Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) although Buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, this species is native to most of the east central US from Pennsylvania to Nebraska, Kansas and Alabama. Hardy from zone 3 to 7, it is native in Iowa south of a line from Mills County northeast to Boone County and east to Clinton County. It is cultivated or has escaped to grow elsewhere in the state. Preferring moist, deep, fertile, well drained, slightly acid soils, this species grows in wooded river valleys, usually on flood plains and moist slopes, but sometimes in dry, level uplands. Full sun or partial shade is suitable for this species, but leaf scorch and defoliation will occur if it is exposed to hot, dry conditions.

 The native Ohio buckeye is smaller than its non‑native relative, the horse chestnut (A. hippocastanum), reaching a height and spread of 25 to 40 feet, with a low, broadly rounded crown and drooping branches that have upturned ends. The buds are ovoid, with 5 or 6 pairs of brown, dry (not shiny; sticky) scales. The terminal bud is 0.5 to 0.75 inches long, with prominently keeled, almost triangular scales with hairy margins. The leaves are palmately compound and opposite, with 5 to 7 leaflets (usually 5). Each leaflet is 3 to 6 inches long and is finely toothed and gradually tapered at the apex and base. This is one of the first trees to leaf out in spring and one of the first to defoliate in autumn. Leaves are medium to dark green, turning yellow but sometimes a brilliant orange red to reddish brown in the fall. The ornamental value of this species is limited to use as specimen planting in large, open areas such as parks, campuses and in natural settings. Some drawbacks of this species include its dense shade, which restricts grass from growing under it, its large size, messiness and lack of showy flowers. A handsome dwarf cultivar is obtainable as A. glabra var. nana, which is a rounded bush, and A. parviflora is an attractive, red flowering, dwarf species. The leaf scars are rather large, half round to shield shaped, with 3 bundle scars. The greenish yellow, 1‑inch‑long flowers are produced early to mid‑ May in 4‑ to 7‑inch‑long terminal panicles. Unlike those of the horse chestnut, the flowers of the Ohio buckeye are not showy and tend to be easily obscured by the foliage. The ashy gray bark is thick and deeply fissured, separating into scaly plates with shallow furrows between.

The wood is pale; light, soft, fine textured and straight grained. Because it is light in weight and resists splitting, it is often used to make artificial limbs. It is also used for pulpwood and for hidden parts of furniture. Because it does not impart any flavor or taste, the wood is often used to make troughs for catching maple sap and shipping containers for food. The wood is of minor commercial importance, however, due to its scarcity.

This tree is little used by wildlife, although hungry squirrels will sometimes eat the seeds (which are poisonous to humans). The 1‑ to 2‑inch‑long fruit is a yellow, leathery capsule with deciduous prickles, becoming pale brown and smooth as it ripens. The capsule splits open to release 1 or 2 large seeds in September to mid October. The smooth, shiny, dark brown, poisonous seeds resemble those of the horse chestnut and are somewhat reminiscent of the eye of a deer (hence the name, "buckeye"). The leaves, flowers, bark and twigs produce an unpleasant odor if crushed, and therefore it is also called the "fetid buckeye".