Reproduction requires the allocation of resources potentially limiting to plant growth. Theories of life history evolution assume that in perennial species the allocation of limiting resources to reproduction in one season reduces growth, reproduction, or survivorship in subsequent seasons. However, these delayed costs of reproduction have rarely been related to the resource costs of reproduction. This study quantifies some of the resource costs of flower and fruit production in Aesculus californica (California buckeye tree) and documents the effect of reproduction on subsequent growth and reproduction. The resource costs of reproduction are reported as the nitrogen, total nonstructural carbohydrate, and total dry weight in staminate and bisexual flowers, aborted fruits, and mature fruits per inflorescence. More than 85% of the bisexual flowers were aborted in early stages of fruit development and only one third of all inflorescences matured fruit. Because flowers and aborted fruits were inexpensive in comparison to mature fruits, the resources allocated to reproduction on shoots aborting all fruits were less than 15% of the resources allocated on fruit-bearing shoots. Fruiting shoots do not independently bear the resource costs of fruit production. All stems decreased dramatically in carbohydrate concentration during fruit maturation and girdling experiments confirmed that resources translocated from other shoots were necessary for normal fruit development. The delayed costs of reproduction were concentrated on fruit-bearing shoots. In a season following fruit production, bud break was delayed and shoot growth, leaf nitrogen concentration, and probability of fruit maturation were reduced on fruit-bearing shoots in relation to non-bearing shoots. These delayed costs may have resulted from direct competition between maturing fruits and overwintering buds or from the effect of fruit production on nearby stem resource concentrations. The localized effect of fruit production on subsequent growth and reproduction in A. californica has the potential to impact whole plant reproductive success. The relationship between reproductive resource costs and delayed growth costs is an important determinant of plant life history strategy.