Britannica Sources used in this answer

Where do horse chestnuts and buckeyes grow naturally?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Trees and shrubs in the genus Aesculus are native to the North Temperate Zone. Their natural distribution varies by species:12

Horse Chestnuts: These are generally native to Eurasia. For example, the common horse chestnut (A. hippocastanum) is native to southeastern Europe.314
Buckeyes: These species are native to North America. Their specific ranges include:3
- Midwestern United States: The Ohio buckeye (A. glabra) is primarily found in this region.3
- Eastern United States: The sweet or yellow buckeye (A. flava) is native to the Appalachian Mountains.3
- Southeastern United States: The bottlebrush buckeye (A. parviflora) is native to Georgia and Alabama, while the painted buckeye (A. sylvatica) is also found in the region.3
- Western United States: The California buckeye (A. californica) is endemic to California and southwestern Oregon.3