Cercidiphyllum - Katsura Tree

(Cercidiphyl'lum)

DESCRIPTION: This group consists of one hardy, deciduous tree native to Japan and China. It is an attractive lawn ornament that provides great shade. This tree is grown for the beauty of its foliage, as its red flowers are borne inconspicuously when the leaves open. Male and female flowers are produced on separate trees. C. japonicum, the Katsura Tree, is a variety that eventually reaches a height of 40 to 60 feet. Female trees ordinarily grow with multiple trunks and spread their branches a distance equaling their height; male trees usually develop one trunk and grow in a slender, conical shape. The 2- to 4-inch, glossy, heart-shaped leaves of the Katsura Trees open a purplish-pink shade in the spring, turn a dark blue-green during the summer and change to an apricot or light yellow color in the fall. The leaves emit a scent of burnt sugar, which becomes stronger when a leaf is crushed. The dark brown bark of the Katsura Tree shreds along the main branches and trunk of older trees giving a shaggy appearance. A variety of C. japonicum, called magnificum, is a medium-sized tree with smoother bark and larger, more heart-shaped leaves, which turn yellow in the fall. Another variety, pendulum, is also a medium-sized tree with long, swaying branches.

POTTING: These trees can be grown all over the U.S. They require full sun except along the southern coasts, where light shade is advisable. Grow Katsura Trees in moist, but well-drained, fertile, loamy soil. They will not thrive in dry conditions. They should be planted in early autumn or spring. Pruning is hardly needed, except to clear out overcrowded branches and maintain a shapely tree.

PROPAGATION: Seeds can be sown and layering may be done in the fall.

VARIETIES: C. japonicum & var. sinense, magnificum, pendulum.

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