Aesculus pavia / Red buckeye

Aesculus pavia L.

Red buckeye, scarlet buckeye, firecracker plant

Cherokee: uskwɑtʽí / uniskwɑdá / oskwadá / uniskwutú / galagEná akɑtɑ́ – “buck eye” (Banks 1953:82)

Location in Texas: C, E, & SE TX; common in Travis Co.

Form: small tree < 40 ft tall, usually < 15 ft in central TX.

Flowers: Mar-May (red, yellow). A. pavia var. flavescens in W central TX is yellow-flowered.

Medicine

Seeds – the large seeds / nuts were pounded up by the Cherokee and used as a poultice or made into a salve for sores (Banks 1953:82). Small pieces were chewed and the juice swallowed for colic (Banks 1953:83).

Bark – an infusion was drunk to facilitate delivery in childbirth (Banks 1953:82). It was combined with the bark of Castanea dentata, both soaked in water, and a small amount of the infusion drunk to stop bleeding and cramps after childbirth (Banks 1953:83).

Material

Bark – used as a fish poison by the Cherokee (Banks 1953:83).

Wood – the favorite wood of the Cherokee for carving large dishes and it was used for other carvings (Banks 1953:83).