Tree of the week

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Good morning, Stuart Sperber. Your trees are beautiful this morning. Appropriately, our tree-loving friend Pieter Severynen is right on time with his weekly tribute to one of Southern California’s quality-of-life-enhancers:

Chinese flame tree – Koelreuteria bipinnata

The Chinese flame tree and its slightly smaller cousin the golden rain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata, are almost ideal trees. Fast growing and deciduous, these Chinese and Korean natives put on a great show several times a year. Big heads of tiny yellow flowers, carried high above the branches in summer, are followed by festive, eye catching, reddish pink to salmon to light brown papery lanterns that may hang on for months. The effect is of neighbors having gone out of their way to decorate the trees for a festival.

In fall the leaves turn yellow before falling off. The leaves are very large, 18 to 24 inches, but unless you know, you might not notice because they consist of many small leaflets; they drop off cleanly in fall. The trees are deep rooted and not invasive. Once established they take heat, cold, wind and drought.

The biggest problem is their tendency to form narrow-crotch branch attachments to the trunk; if these are not widened at a very early age the branches may split off in later life. Pruning improves the trees’ shape. The Chinese flame tree grows 20 to 40 feet tall and wide, eventually ends up flat topped, and has fully bipinnate (double feathered) leaves. The golden rain tree is a bit smaller; its seed pod lanterns are not quite as colorful. Selected varieties are available

Thanks, Pieter
Comments?
E-mail Pieter: plseve@earthlink.net
Photo Credit: Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino