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Trees

Koelreuteria bipinnata

A spreading, deciduous tree to 8m tall, with large, 2-pinnate leaves composed of opposite pairs of finely toothed, oval leaflets. Red-spotted yellow flowers are borne in pyramidal clusters to 30cm long in late summer; these are followed by unusual, inflated, pink-or red-flushed fruit capsules. A fine specimen tree, flowering best where summers are hot

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Koelreuteria are slender deciduous trees with attractive, pinnately-divided leaves and panicles of yellow flowers followed by bladdery fruits
Name status: Correct
Plant range: S.W. China

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by sowing seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn. Take root cuttings or graft in late winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural

Pruning

See pruning group 1; prune only to remove damaged or dead wood when dormant in winter

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus

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