Rewilding My Lot

I planted a tiny Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) tree in April this year (see post). Here’s a photo from when it was new, just 13 inches tall:

In early July I noticed that leaves were turning yellow and falling, so naturally I was concerned. Was it getting enough or too much water? Was it ailing?

As I researched what might be happening, I learned that these deciduous Red Buckeye trees drop their leaves early in the year, by mid-to late-summer. So the most optimistic and simplest explanation is that my young tree has already had enough of the hot weather and has shut down leaf management for the year.

On that assumption, I will stop worrying and let it grow stronger underground until next spring. Like my other new trees, in times of drought it will get a few gallons of water every week but otherwise will be left to fend for itself.

Because Red Buckeyes drop their leaves so early in the season, I saw several recommendations to place it in landscaping where it is visible in spring but then able to blend in with other plantings after it has lost its leaves. Mine is at the very back of the garden, where it can get some shade from the fence (it is an understory tree).