This photo shows the early leaf excitement of a red buckeye tree. In the burst of green leaves at upper right is a light whitish green cluster of flower buds. Temperatures well into the 60s and 70s within the next 10 days or so will have these little buds turning to red flowers.

The red buckeye tree is small by any measure of a tree. It is sprawling, and its trunk is slender. It is native to Southeast Missouri and looks good in bloom.

The seeds ripen in autumn. When the seeds fall from their husks, a mark on each seed is revealed. This mark gives the seed the look of a deer's eye. and thus it's name -- buckeye tree. These seeds are carried in the pockets of superstitious people in hope of receiving good luck.