Aesculus pavia var. discolor Koehnei

Aesculus pavia 'Koehnei', sometimes called Red Buckeye, is a small ornamental chestnut tree with slow growth and a compact and dense habit, perfect for decorating a small garden or a large terrace, as it can remain in a large pot for many years. This deciduous tree with young foliage tinged with bronze offers a beautiful spring flowering, with candle-like inflorescences that appear salmon pink from a distance. In autumn, it turns rusty, once again becoming one of the stars of the garden. Plant it in full sun or partial shade, where you can admire it from the house, in a fresh and rather fertile soil.

Aesculus pavia var. discolor 'Koehnei', considered synonymous with Aesculus pavia 'Rosea Nana', is a very beautiful red-flowering form of the red buckeye. It is native to the eastern United States, from the coast of Louisiana to Florida, up to Virginia. This small shrubby chestnut tree sometimes forms multiple stems from its stump. Reaching a height of 2m (6ft 7in) at the age of 10, it will typically reach 3m (9ft 10in) in height and 2m in spread at maturity. It grows slowly, around 5cm (2in) per year, and is hardy and resistant to diseases that have been affecting our large chestnut trees in recent years. Its habit is generally conical, dense, and very bushy. Its branches produce smooth, non-sticky buds. Its deciduous leaves, 15cm (5.9in) wide, are divided into 5 to 7 elliptical and oblong leaflets, with finely dentate edges, bronze-coloured when they first emerge, then light green throughout the summer. They beautifully turn russet in autumn. The first inflorescences, in the form of narrow upright panicles, 15cm (5.9in) long, bloom from the end of May to mid-June depending on the climate. The small tubular flowers are carmine red to salmon, with the salmon colour due to the presence of small yellow areas at their tips. The flowering, greatly appreciated by pollinating insects, is followed by the formation of oval, smooth fruits, 3cm (1.2in) long, containing 1 to 2 inedible chestnuts when ripe in September-October.

Aesculus pavia 'Koehnei' tolerates any deep soil that remains moist, in sunny or semi-shaded locations. It can be used as a standalone plant, but also in shrub or perennial plant beds, with peonies or daylilies for example. It forms a beautiful combination in slightly acidic soil with a blue-flowered rhododendron, and in ordinary soil with Hydrangea quercifolia, Neillia affinis, and Cotinus 'Royal Purple' for example. Finally, it adapts very well to container cultivation on a terrace or large balcony: choose a sizable container, and it will live for many years without needing repotting.