Koelreuteria elegansFlamegold Rain Tree

Autumn is when Koelreuteria elegans earns its place. Large open panicles of small yellow flowers cover the flat spreading crown, and as they fade they are replaced by papery lantern-shaped seed capsules that flush from cream through pink to deep rose and hold on the tree for weeks.

Underneath that display is a genuinely useful street and park tree: 8 to 15 metres, umbrella-shaped, fast to establish, and content on poor soil once its roots are down.

Specifications

• Height8 to 15 metres
• Width8 to 12 metres
• Native toTaiwan, with the wider species complex extending to Fiji
• FoliageLarge bipinnate leaves with many mid-green leaflets, briefly deciduous in the cool season
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilTolerates a wide range of well-drained soils including poor and stony ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterModerate; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in subtropical and warm temperate regions

Additional Features

• FlowersLarge open panicles of small yellow flowers in autumn
• FruitPapery lantern-shaped capsules flushing cream to rose, persisting for weeks after flowering
• UsesStreet and avenue planting, car park shade, park canopy and plaza groupings
• SpacingPlant 8 to 10 metres apart for a continuous street canopy
• Low MaintenanceFormative pruning to establish a clear trunk, then minimal attention
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust in warm climates
• Drought ToleranceHolds condition on modest irrigation once the root system is established
• Seasonal AppealTwo distinct autumn displays, yellow flower followed by rose-tinted capsules

The Flamegold Rain Tree is the autumn-flowering canopy for streets and parks in subtropical climates.