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Golden Rain Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

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Koelreuteria paniculata

The golden rain tree, otherwise known as Koelreuteria paniculata, is at its most impressive during the summer and fall months. In midsummer, this medium-sized deciduous tree blooms with many dangling yellow flower clusters that nearly cover the entire canopy. These lovely flowers eventually give way to prominent seed pods that are as numerous as the blooms — and as attractive for their reddish color. Even earlier in the season, the golden rain tree provides color, as the leaves of this tree emerge as light pink at the beginning of spring before transforming to green. 

  • Dangling yellow flower clusters appear in the middle of summer.
  • Large reddish-pink seed pod clusters replace the flowers later in the season.
  • The golden rain tree is a durable tree with excellent heat tolerance.
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Plant Care

Sunlight

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Give this tree at least six hours of direct light per day.

Watering

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Water once per week or once every two weeks.

Fertilizing

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Fertilize about three times during the growing season with a balanced blend or a nitrogen-heavy mix.

Planting and Care

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by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on July 5, 2022

Planting instructions

Although the golden rain tree may survive in partial shade conditions, it will grow much better in a full sun location. This planting location should also have nutrient-rich soil with excellent drainage capabilities. You should also anticipate the mature size of this plant, which is about 30 feet tall by 30 feet wide at maturity, and give it plenty of space to expand. Once you find a location that meets those requirements, dig a hole that is as deep as the tree’s root ball and about twice as wide as the root ball.

Watering and nutrients

The water needs of the golden rain tree are relatively high. Typically, you should give your golden rain tree a deep watering about once per week or once every other week, depending on the current weather. During establishment, just after planting, you’ll likely need to provide even more water. You can also give this plant plenty of fertilizer throughout the growing season. Younger trees will appreciate more feedings, perhaps as often as once per month. However, your tree should perform well with about three feedings per year.

Pollination

The flowers of a golden rain tree are not only beautiful. They are also a great benefit to many pollinator insects, including honey bees. During the months of June and July, the golden rain tree will open its many flower buds and offer nectar to any flying insects that happen to be nearby. Once these insects arrive, they will travel from one flower to another, carrying the tree’s pollen and allowing for pollination to occur. Golden rain trees have perfect flowers, meaning that each one has male and female structures, which makes pollination quite easy.

Pruning

Pruning for a golden rain tree should occur during the winter months when the tree is not actively growing. When pruning, focus on removing dead, damaged, and diseased branches. You may also attempt to shape this tree, but that effort may be a challenging one, as the golden rain tree has a naturally irregular growth habit that is difficult to train. Your pruning goals can also include thinning the canopy and removing any branches that grow too low to the ground to create a more traditional single-trunked tree shape.

Pests, diseases, and animals

One of the best aspects of the golden rain tree is that it is an incredibly durable species that will not present many health concerns during its life. This species is resistant to nearly all insects, with nematodes being a slight exception. Golden rain trees also rarely contract diseases during their lives. Still, diseases remain possible, and some of the most common ones that affect a golden rain tree are coral-spot fungus, leaf spot, canker, and root rot.

Achieving maximum results

The golden rain tree is not only an attractive addition to your landscape, but it is also a tree species that can withstand some significant abuse. If you’ve struggled to grow healthy trees due to air pollution, alkaline soils, or excessive heat and drought, then the golden rain tree may be the perfect plant for you. This tree is also the ideal pick for those who love yellow flowers, as it is one of the few flowering tree species you can find that blooms with that color.

FAQs

How long does a golden rain tree live?

Golden rain trees are short-lived plants that will survive for about 50 years at most. That lifespan can vary somewhat, mainly based on how well you care for your tree and whether it grows in the ideal conditions. However, in nearly all cases, you can expect to enjoy the beauty of a golden rain tree for a few decades. The golden rain tree makes up for its lack of longevity by producing brilliant flowers and seed pods each year for as long as it is around.

Why is it called a golden rain tree?

The term “golden rain tree” refers to this plant's spectacular blooms. Specifically, the name indicates the effect you'll witness when this tree reaches the end of its blooming period. At that time, each flower will drop its petals, which resemble tiny golden rain drops as they fall through the air. Once they arrive on the ground, these petals form a distinct yellow mat below the tree's canopy.

Where does the golden rain tree come from?

The golden rain tree is native to several countries in Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. In the 1700s, this tree made its way to Europe, then, later in that same century, the golden rain tree reached the United States. Since that time, the golden rain tree has remained a welcome sight in the landscape and has become popular for its ornamental qualities, which has only increased its growing range.

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous
Verified Buyer April 27, 2021 at 7:16pm
ratingThey look good when I got them.

They have just started to bud.

Anonymous
Verified Buyer June 12, 2020 at 1:30am
ratingNice tree, very TINY trunk

Tree was nice, but trunk was very tiny.

Mature height
30 ft.
Mature width
30 ft.
Sunlight requirement
Full Sun
Growth rate
Moderate
Botanical name
Koelreuteria paniculata
Shipping exclusions
AZ
Grows Well In Zones
5-9
map
Growing Zones: 5-9 i Growing zones help determine if a particular plant is likely to grow well in a location. It identifies the average annual minimum winter temperatures across the U.S. provided as a map by the USDA.
(hardy down to -10°F)

Golden Rain Tree

Koelreuteria paniculata
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