Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.

Golden Rain Tree

Tree

Perennial

Vascular

Golden Rain Tree is an introduced deciduous tree in the Soapberry family (Sapindaceae). It is native to China and Korea. In Alabama it is sometimes grown as an ornamental and has been collected as an escape or waif at a few widely scattered locations across the state. Golden Rain Tree occurs on vacant lots, in weedy urban forests, and along roadsides. It is a small to medium sized tree between 15-30 feet in height. Young twigs are green-brown and appressed pubescent. Old stems and the truck have gray-brown fissured bark. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and pinnately compound. Occasionally some leaves or portions of leaves are bipinnately compound. The leaf has 11-18 sessile, ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets that are pubescent and have irregularly serrate margins. Flowers are produced in large terminal panicles. The branches of the panicle are pubescent. Individual flowers are slightly fragrant and have 4 yellow petals with an orange spot at their base. The sepals are ovate and have glandular ciliate margins. Fallen flowers often form a yellow carpet under the tree. The fruit is a bladder-like conical capsules that turns from pale green to pinkish or orange as it ripens. Golden Rain Tree is listed as an invasive species in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. It is tolerant of drought, pollution, and poor soils and is sometimes planted as a street tree in urban areas.—A. Diamond.

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Not Native

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