Aesculus x carnea ‘Briotti’

Similar to the upright candles of the common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastrum), these are the gorgeous red flowers of the French cross between A. hippocastrum and the red buckeye (Aesculus pavia).

The flowers open yellow and gradually turn to pink and red. (I’ve been waiting for a couple of weeks to get this picture when they are finally getting red). This tree is a rounded, more compact tree that will only grow to about half the size of a common horse chestnut. It has a similar leaves (Briotti's are a bit shinier, and (poisonous) nuts or 'conkers.'

We see our local hummingbirds hovering around them, though I have no idea if they supply much nectar to the birds.