Is Buckeyes the Same as Hazelnuts?

Buckeye nuts are small and brown with white tops. They look somewhat like large hazelnuts and are sometimes known as "horse chestnuts." While on the tree, the nuts are encased in a hard, spiky shell which is a light green color.

Can you eat a buckeye nut?

Although the nuts of the buckeye tree (Aesculus glabra) look like chestnuts, they do not taste like chestnuts due to their high tannic acid content. However, most experts warn against eating buckeyes; in their raw state, consuming too many will cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Is a Buckeye and a chestnut the same thing?

Buckeyes and horse chestnuts belong to the same tree family and are unrelated to true chestnuts. They bear similarities in fruit, but horse chestnuts carry larger seeds. The nuts of both buckeyes and horse chestnuts appear shiny and attractive, yet both are highly poisonous and must never be eaten.