Common Name: Golden Rain Tree

Scientific Name: Koelreuteria elegans

Type of Plant: Tree

Description: Native to China and Korea, the Golden Rain Tree is a very popular landscape tree because of its colorful petals and rose colored fruit capsules.

Mature Size: 25-50′ tall x 35-50′ wide.

Blooms: Showy panicles of small yellow flowers emerge in late summer to early fall.  As the flower petals drop, hence the name “Golden Rain,” they give way to attractive pink to rust-colored seed pods resembling Chinese lanterns.  The seed pods eventually turn brown and persist on the tree well into the fall.

Fruit:  No

Climate Requirements: The Golden Rain Tree prefers full sun and well-drained soil.  It is moderately drought-tolerant once established, and moderately salt-tolerant as well.

Care Requirements:  Prune the tree early to space major branches along the trunk to create a strong branch structure and the tree will be longer-lived and require little maintenance. Dead wood is often present in the canopy and should be removed periodically to maintain a neat appearance.  Occasional attacks by scale may be seen. Sprays of horticultural oil control overwinter stages.

Spacing: Space plants at least 20′ apart

Water Needs: Average

Maintenance: Low

Attracts: Bees

Special Uses/Attributes: The Golden Rain Tree makes an excellent specimen tree to feature in your landscape.  It grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13″ to more than 24″ per year.

Florida Native: No