Koelreuteria paniculata
Goldenrain tree
-
Light: Full sun or light shade.
-
Size: 30 to 40 feet tall and wide.
-
Native Range: China, Japan, and Korea.
-
Plant habit and use: Rounded, deciduous shade tree with summer flowers.
-
Leaves: Medium to dark green compound leaves. They are reddish
when they emerge in the spring. Fall color may be unimpressive or
yellow-orange fall color.

-
Trunk and branches: Typically the tree has a single trunk
from which spreading, twisting branches arise. They are often quite
picturesque on mature trees and the light gray bark adds winter interest.
-
Flowers: In midsummer, large stalks with many small yellow flowers
cover the tree.
-
Fruits: Flowering stalks become covered with papery pods that
resemble little paper lanterns. They are green, turning tannish-pink
and fading to brown. Most remain on the tree through winter.
Some people think they provide winter interest, others think the trees
look messy in winter.


-
Culture: This tree is tolerant of a wide range of conditions.
-
Other: Branches on young trees may be damaged during cold winters,
but older trees don't show this problem.
Return to:
Water-conserving plant list
Trees
Page creators:
Virginia I. Lohr
and Caroline H. Pearson-Mims
Dept. of Hort &
LA, Washington St. Univ.
E-mail: pearson@wsu.edu
Page updated: June 8, 2001