Susan is concerned about her brown Buckeye tree leaves.

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We have a buckeye tree that is looking mostly brown. I am afraid it is dying. This spring it bloomed and looked healthy. It is by a creek so it seems to have an adequate water supply.

Response by Advanced Master Gardener Darlene

There could be a couple reasons for the brown leaves, but without a photo of the leaves one can’t be sure. One reason could be leaf scorch. If it is planted in full sun, the leaves can be scorched by the hot, dry summers. To resolve this, you could plant another tree or shrub that will provide some shade. If it is planted where there is some shade but it has wet weather, the plant may have acquired one of the several fungal pathogens that thrive in wet conditions. One of those is Guignardia aesculi; the fungus responsible for Guignardia Leaf Blotch of Aesculus. In the winter, the disease remains on the fallen leaves that are infected and then in the spring spores are released and affect the new leaves. If this is what your tree has, then this fall rake and remove all the fallen leaves so the fungus is less likely to affect the new leaves next spring. Below is a photo of the disease.