Painted Buckeye is a deciduous large shrub or small tree common in rich bottomland forests. The deciduous leaves are palmately compound.

Penny's Bend, Durham Co., NC 4/11/09.

Painted Buckeyes produce panicles of greenish-yellow flowers from late March to late April.

Mason Farm, Orange Co., NC 4/18/09.

Granville Co., NC 4/26/09.

Terminal bud about to open in early spring.

Orange Co., NC 3/13/2011.

Painted Buckeye is one of the first trees to leaf out in the spring, as early as mid-March.

Orange Co., NC 3/11/2012.

Orange Co., NC 3/11/2012.

Orange Co., NC 3/13/2011.

Orange Co., NC 3/9/08.

Granville Co., NC 4/27/08.

The opposite leaves are palmately compound.

Granville Co., NC 4/27/08.

Mason Farm, Orange Co., NC 4/20/2003.

Durham Co., NC 4/1/07.

Durham Co., NC 4/1/07.

The flowers are nectar sources for hummingbirds and butterflies, such as this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus).

Durham Co., NC 4/1/07.

Flowers are usually greenish-yellow, but the color is variable.

Eno River State Park, Durham Co., NC 4/14/2002.

Durham Co., NC 4/1/07.

The straight-veined leaves are toothed.

Durham Co., NC 4/14/02.

A seedling, viewed from above, showing the distinctive leaf arrangement.

Durham, NC 4/4/07.

This tree has unusual pear-shaped fruits.

Wake Co., NC 7/18/10.

Wake Co., NC 7/18/10.

Unripe fruits.

Granville Co., NC 5/16/09.

Granville Co., NC 5/16/09.

An almost buckeye fruit.

Durham Co., NC 7/24/03.

Bark detail.

Durham Co., NC 4/1/07.

Bark of a larger tree.

Mecklenburg Co., VA 5/2/05.

Habit. Most often encountered as a sprawling large shrub in the understory of bottomland deciduous forests.

Durham Co., NC 4/1/07.

Buckeye is usually the first shrub or tree leaf out, usually a couple of weeks ahead of the overstory trees.

Durham Co., NC 4/5/2014.

Durham Co., NC 4/5/2014.