Golden Rain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata

The golden rain tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree that grows 30'-40' high. It is a great urban flowering tree that tolerates drought, heat, wind, and air pollution. It is easily transplanted, soil adaptable, and prefers full sun. It flowers at an early age with an upright display of yellow flowers, a rare color in flowering trees. Its yellow color is inconsistent in the fall.  These summer blooms resemble a fireworks show.  When the blooms are finished and the petals drop to the ground it resembles a "Golden Rain" blanket, hence the common name. Its fruit display is very distinctive, and it is sometimes used in dry arrangements. This small tree tolerates a range of soil types but prefers moist, well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline.  It has spreading branches but a rounded outline. It works well planted in a lawn or park or near a patio.  This tree has a medium to fast growth rate. This tree is mildly resistant to damage by deer, and is pest and disease free.

Quick ID Hints:

• 12"-15" long panicle of yellow star-shaped flowers that bloom in mid-summer.
• Sparsely branched small tree rounded form
• Fruits are dehiscent, papery, and 3-valved
• Stems also have prominent, shield-shaped leaf scars. Prominent hairy buds and twigs have orange-brown lenticels
• Leaves are pinnately compound, 6"-18" long, with 7-15 leaflets
• Leaflets near the leaf base are deeply lobed

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious problems.  Sometimes suffers from coral spot fungus, root rot,  and cankers.  It reseeds easily and can become weedy.  It tends to have brittle wood so can be damaged in storms or during the winter.

VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University.