California Buckeye nuts

I’ve written [1, 2, 3] on this California native tree before and indeed one picture graces the cover of Zeiss ZF Lenses. It’s an elegant tree, though I have yet to make the image I see in my mind’s eye. Someday. I’m nuts about the buckeye and perhaps someday will document it fully.

Below is a recent sampler of its fall crop, using the Nikon D3 and Voigtlander 180mm f/4 APO. The thick husk contains a medium brown and shiny nut which drops in late November. It’s too bad they’re inedible (poisonous) without some serious leaching, or three of them could make a fine lunch.

 
Flowers and nuts, along with next year’s buds

A non-viable nut, cracked.