Red or green

These are the springtime flowers of the red buckeye tree. It is native to Southeast Missouri woodlands. The leaves and blooms will come forth at the same time.

The red of the blossoms and vibrant green of the leaves are opposites on the color wheel. This means they contrast one another very well. This little tree that grows to about 12 feet tall gets its "buckeye" name from its seeds that resemble a deer's eye.

It is difficult to transplant a seedling buckeye tree from the wild. If you want a native one, it is best to mark a flowering tree in spring and go back in autumn to get some seeds. Immediately plant the seeds about 1 1/2 inches deep in a place with partial to full sunshine.