Goldenraintree
Koelreuteria paniculata
Sapindaceae - Soapberry

Description

Leaves: Alternate; once pinnately compound (some leaflets may be deeply lobed enough to appear twice pinnately compound); 6" to 18" long; 7 to 15 ovate to ovate-oblong leaflets, 1" to 4" long; deciduous; margins with coarse, irregular, rounded teeth; leaflets often lobed near base with lobes reaching nearly to midrib; glabrous above, glabrous to slightly hairy along veins beneath; yellow to orange fall color.

Twigs/buds: Twigs stout; glabrous; greenish to light brown. No terminal bud; lateral buds brown with 2 scales, 1/8" to 3/16" long.

Flowers/fruit: Flowers perfect; bright yellow; 1/2" wide; arranged in 12" to 15" long, loose bunches, appearing from early June to early July; very attractive. Fruit a capsule; papery; 3-valved; 1-1/2" to 2"long; green at first, changing to yellow and then brown; with 3 black, hard, pea-like seeds inside; ripens in August to October.

Bark: Light gray to brown; smooth when young; becoming furrowed and ridged on older portions of trunk.

Wood: No information available.

General: Native to China, Japan, and Korea. Fairly slow growing. Adaptable to many different soil conditions, including high pH. Shade intolerant. Weak wood and/or branch structure.

Landscape Use: A good, medium-sized ornamental tree, especially liked for its flowers. I have seen this doing well in Cache County, all along the Wasatch Front, in Price, and elsewhere. In full flower it is truly beautiful. Reputed tobe weak-wooded and may suffer some branch dieback in winter, but I think that these issues are minor. Zones 5(4?)-9.

Cultivars: 'Fastigiata','September', Stadher's Hill'.

Characteristics

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