Leaf
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Golden rain tree
Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.
Also known as: Pride of India, Varnish tree
Family: Sapindaceae
6 to 12 m tall
Planted singly or in rows in parks and gardens
Flowering: June – July
Full sun
Hardy, to about -20°C, tolerates drought and urban pollution well
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The fruits of the golden rain tree form small inflated capsules shaped like Chinese lanterns, which turn from green to pink then brown — one of the few tree species to flower in midsummer, when most others have finished flowering.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, compound, with toothed leaflets, turning golden yellow in autumn
🌸 Flowers
Bright yellow, small, grouped in large, very conspicuous erect panicles
🍎 Fruits
Inflated capsule shaped like a small pink-orange lantern, very decorative, containing black seeds
🪵 Bark
Greyish-brown, fissuring with age
🗺️ Distribution
Native to China; widely planted in France as an urban ornamental tree
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich summer flowering, appreciated by bees at a time when few trees are still in flower
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ornamental tree planted for its yellow summer flowering and decorative lantern-shaped fruits, tolerant of urban drought
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable known toxicity
🌿 Other Sapindaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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