Native Plants

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Monday - October 22, 2012

From: Tickfaw, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Plant Identification, Trees
Title: Identification of a tree at David Crockett Cabin Museum in Tennessee
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I was in Lawrenceburg TN and stopped by the David Crockett Cabin Museum. There was a tree and it dropped lemon sized balls on the ground. What kind of tree is it?

ANSWER:

Here are a list of several native trees that occur in or near Lawrence County, Tennesssee that are a possibility:

Aesculus flava (Sweet buckeye) Here are more photos and information with photos of the fruit (nut) from Duke University and North Carolina State University.

Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye) Here are more photos and information from North Carolina State University and Missouri Plants.

Aesculus pavia (Scarlet buckeye) Here are more photos and information from Missouri Botanical Garden and Duke University.

Aesculus sylvatica (Painted buckeye) Here are more photos and information from Duke University and Southeastern Flora.

Asimina triloba (Pawpaw) Here are more photos and information from Duke University and Missouri Botanical Garden.

Diospyros virginiana (Common persimmon) Here are more photos and information from Duke University and Missouri Botanical Garden.

Maclura pomifera (Osage orange) Here are more photos and information from Duke University and Missouri Botanical Garden.

If you don't see the fruit that you describe, you can go to our Native Plant Database and do a search yourself. Choose COMBINATION SEARCH and select "Tennessee" from Select State or Province and "Tree" from Habit (general appearance) to find a list of trees native to Tennessee with links to their species page with photos.

From the Image Gallery

Ohio buckeye
Aesculus glabra

Red buckeye
Aesculus pavia

Eastern persimmon
Diospyros virginiana

Osage orange
Maclura pomifera