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Koelreuteria paniculata

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© RHS 1986

Characteristics

Plant type

Tree

Habit

Spreading / Branched

Resilience

Hardiness

old H4 (hardy)

Colour

Flower

Yellow in Summer

Foliage

Bronze in Spring
Green in Summer
Yellow in Autumn

Fruit

Pink and Pale Bronze in Autumn

Size

Ultimate height

8-12 metres

Ultimate spread

wider than 8 metres

Time to ultimate height

20-50 years


Preferred common name

pride of India

Family

Sapindaceae


Koelreuteria are slender deciduous trees with attractive, pinnately-divided leaves and panicles of yellow flowers followed by bladdery fruits

K. paniculata is an elegant small deciduous tree. Leaves pinnate, pinkish in spring, turning yellow in autumn. Small yellow flowers in conspicuous large panicles, followed by ornamental bladdery bronze fruits

Other common names

  • China tree
  • golden rain tree
  • shrimp tree
  • varnish tree

How to grow

Sunlight

  • Full sun

Aspect

  • East-facing, South-facing or West-facing
  • Sheltered or Exposed

Cultivation

Grow as a specimen tree in well-drained or moist but well-drained soil in full sun

Soil

  • Well-drained or Moist but well-drained
  • Acid, Alkaline or Neutral
  • Chalk, Clay, Sand or Loam

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Low Maintenance or Drought Resistant


How to care

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest free

Diseases

Generally disease free