It grows in NC and SC from the mountains to the coast. Buckeye, the Ohio state tree, and there is also a California buckeye. The genus is Aesculus, referring to the glycoside esculin. Its a good fish stupefier, and the nuts can actually be leached like acorns. I have done so.
Most folks just leave it alone.
It's a poisonous plant alright, but everyone from before slavery days ate it. Some folks see the word Sallet and they think it means Salad. Sallet is, if my memory is right here, from an Old English word and it refers to cooked greens. Anyway, death can occur if you try to eat this and don't do it right. Turkey mullein is restricted to the Southwest, I believe.