Koelreuteria Species, China tree, Golden Rain Tree, Pride of India, Varnish Tree

This East Asian tree does have pretty yellow flowers and interesting foliage and pods, with a tropical appearance, but it is weak-wooded ...Read Moreand very messy. I have not seen it escape cultivation in se PA like some other messy Asian trees as Mimosa and Royal Empresstree, so far.

I live in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. This is in USDA zone 9b or so. Summers can be hot; winters are cool and sometimes rai...Read Moreny. Here the HEAVENLY Rain Tree (Koelreuteria bipinnata) is commonly grown; although especially beautiful, it is too tender to grow in the Memphis, TN, area and does not survive more than a winter or two. But the species paniculata (GOLDEN Rain Tree) is excellent both there and here, as it takes much colder winters. Those who comment on paniculata often dislike the many seedlings it can self-sow. While somewhat true, if they are in the yard grass, simply mow them down with the grass. If they are in more kempt beds, wait until the soil is moist and they easily pull up -- even when they get 10" tall. In short, self-sown seedlings are easy to deal with. The limbs can be gawky, so it is advisable to shorten long, gangly growth to encourage lateral growth and a more compact appearance. The Golden Rain Tree blooms in late May; there is a rarer form that blooms in late August. Both can throw up many seedlings.

This tree volunteered between me & my neighbor on his side. I chase literally thousands of seedlings a year. This year this now 25 foot o...Read Morebnoxious tree got a few good whacks with a machete and FULL STRENGTH *ortho brush and vine killer* its infested with ambrosia beatle and needs to go. Be aware of your constant chore of cleaning up after it for years to come. Meanwhile I'm going to sharpen the chainsaw blade...I'm over it

St. Louis, MO Zone 5
My neighbor has this tree in their yard. It is a pretty tree when it blooms and the seed pods form. From then...Read More on it is a terrible neighbor. Seed pods everywhere, black seeds root anywhere they settle. I spend more time pulling out these trees than any other yard work I do, and I have a lot of garden space. I wouldn't plant this tree if you gave me one. They root in the rain sewers, in the gutters, every nook and cranny around the foundation, in flower pots….everywhere.

My first with this tree.

Here in Boston z6a, the showy golden flowers are produced in July.

The species has seedpods which are green till they tur...Read Moren brown. Only the late-blooming cultivar 'Rose Lantern' has pink immature seedpods.

Even here in the north, this tree can be an aggressive self-sower. If you take into account the time spent removing unwanted seedlings, it's a high-maintenance tree.

I wonder whether eventually this will prove to be an invasive problem in natural areas.

As I sit here looking out the window I see the gorgeous pink lanterns on the tips of the Golden Rain Tree planted in the front of our hou...Read Morese.
These trees are beautiful. For the last month the bees had been buzzing around the bunches of small bright yellow flowers on the ends of the branches before the flowers fell and the pink lantern shaped seed pods came in. The tree is about 25 feet high now and yes, it is a very fast grower in warm to hot summer climates and wonderful for the much needed shade during the very hot summers down here in New Orleans.
The leaves on this tree are very unusual...they look like fern leaves which have a slight weeping habit. The tree gives the impression of a giant fern. It is beautiful when the wind hits it and makes the leaves sway. We have gotten many compliments on it.
Yes, it does put out seedling, but they are easily controlled by mowing the lawn under the tree. If you don't allow them to grow then there is no problem. A little extra "weeding" of the seedlings is no problem compared to the beauty of having one of these trees. I would rather do a little work than not have trees. They provide shade and beauty. I would highly recommend this tree to anyone.

I bought a house in Stillwater, Ok, last July, 2011--during the big drought. This nicely shaped tree in the backyard looked very sad. T...Read Morehis Spring--wow! Full of beautiful foliage and the lovely, small yellow flowers. No bugs that I can tell. And nothing invasive about it, here. Just a beautiful, small tree that seems happy with a good watering now-and-then. I looked it up to identify it and got to this site. Thanks, Dave's Garden! Great site and very helpful to this new home owner.

I lived in Bloomington, IN for 10 years and We had a small Golden Rain tree in our back yard. I didn't know what it was but it turned out...Read More to be very interesting with the yellow blossoms and the "Lantern" seed pods in the fall. It died about 7 years ago so I just cut it level with the ground. It came back in the spring and I mowed around it. It is about 17 feet tall now. We had 70 degree days in March this year. Then we had a frost. We covered our rose bushes but not the Golden Rain tree. All of the leaves turned brown for a few weeks. I thought it was dead. The other day, new leaves started to sprout among the brown ones. Now, I am so happy, it's exploded with new leaves!

My experience with this tree is puzzling. It was given to me by a friend. I live in San Antonio TX, and am amazed at how fast it has grow...Read Moren in three years. It has survived record breaking heat and drought, followed by record breaking freezing winter cold. It has in just the past three weeks added three branches, but what is so amazing, is that the trunk is no bigger in diameter than 6"! It is at least 14 feet tall, and I am afraid to take the stakes away because we have pretty strong winds on that corner of my house. One gardener told me I will probably lose this tree. Has anyone had this problem? I was told that it would be perhaps 3-5 years before it blooms, but I don't know about this particular growth pattern. Would appreciate any comments.

Maybe in Pennsylvania, California and British Columbia this tree is a beautiful and manageable asset, but here in Florida it is a real pe...Read Morest.I even find it growing wild in the woods. It is not a native and I find its seedlings sprouting up by the dozens and dozens everywhere I look.They grow very quickly.

It has taken me about seven years to finally have an established Golden Rain Tree. For many years there has been a lovely row of them on...Read More a main artery in OKC (North Pennsylvania, just south of NW Expressway). I live nearby, did some research, and ordered one. However, I ended up with a Laburnum that had been misrepresented as Golden Rain Tree. That tree didn't even make it through the first summer.

I then ordered a bare root Golden Rain Tree that snapped in half during the first summer and didn't re-spout.

I finally managed to find a potted two year old tree. In about four years it has shot up to a lovely 15-20 foots small tree. So far, it has been very drought hail, ice and wind hardy. I have no problems with bugs or with seedlings. It flowers beautifully every spring.

I can pluck a tree from anywhere and it will grow anywhere I plant it. I'm potting some up for bonsai and they don't mind when I forget ...Read Moreto water. I also had these trees, some very large, for 24 years before these bugs (boxelders?) started showing up and they hide under dead wood. I put my dead wood piles (for wildlife) out back now.

Fosters a horrid population of Western Boxelder Bug (Boisea rubrolineatus) which consume seedling red bud trees, California fuschia, rose...Read Mores, iris, etc. The bugs swarm onto people if they sit or even pause for gardening tasks. The seeds (which persist from year to year) and attendent bugs attract mice; bugs and mice then infest house. Difficult to exterminate once seeds have entered landscape, seedlings strike root quickly near rockwork and fence posts, herbicides not found to be effective. Pods clusters (locally called "Chinese Lanterns") have very limited ornamental use. A real pest in residential landscape.

I have read on different websites that this tree does not transplant well in the fall and to wait until spring if at all possible. Has a...Read Morenyone experienced this.
thanks.

I live in Sacramento, CA and this is one of the free shade trees that the Sacramento Tree Foundation. Mine is 4 or 5 years old now and i...Read Moret has grown so fast and tall, but it drops flowers, seeds, pods from spring to fall. The little trees are easy to pull out. So they do not bother me much.

What does bother me is the golden rain tree bug. It looks just like the box elder bug. (Thank you Dave's Garden for the pest files).

I brought a few of the bugs (at different stages) to my local nursery and they had never seen it before, but they asked what kind of trees do I have, because I do not have a box elder. I have 2 crape myrtles and the golden rain, but the bugs are all over the yard and starting up the walls of the house.

Well doggone it! GOOGLE "golden rain tree and pests", brings up the golden rain tree bug information from the Univ of Fla IFAS Extension. They say it is a harmless nuisance bug that eats the seeds preventing the seedlings. They do say that it has been reported as far west as Texas and California. The Univ of CA extension does not reference it.

So now you know too.

The Golden Rain Tree in my garden is very pretty and grew quickly. A friend gave me the tree after she had several specimens to grow fro...Read Morem seeds around her tree. While there are many seedlings around my tree, I am having a good time sharing the trees. They have not been a problem. I have a much bigger problem with small oak trees coming up everywhere. The squirrels bury the acorns in all of my flower pots and all over my garden. I have 3 to 4 oak trees in all of my flower pots each spring. I love my large wonderful oaks and just pull up the ones that I do not want.

I really love the seed pods on the Golden Rain Tree, especially now when they are such a pretty color. Has anyone ever tried to preserve them to be used on wreaths? I would love some feedback. Thanks.
gardening ann

Am I the only one to have ever seen the "Golden Rain?" No one mentions it. If you have seen Cherry Blossoms "snow" then you can imagin...Read Moree the rain from a Golden Rain tree. I have one right out my back door, on property line which has been cleared, and have enjoyed the flowers and pods for over twenty years, but only once have I seen the golden rain. It requires just the right conditions of ripe flowers and a gentle breeze, but to see the yellow drops falling was the most breathtaking view of a single plant that I have ever see. About a hundred pedals continuously fell for at least 15 minutes before I had to leave. I will try to capture it on video. I live in Moultrie, Georgia, USA.

I have this tree and it's one of my favorite flowering trees. I bought a 4-5' 'Rose Lantern' Raintree a couple of years ago and it has gr...Read Moreown nearly 2' every year. I had a deer bite it in half the first year and it still shot back up. It hasn't flowered yet but I'm happy with the colorful new growth. I read it can take 4-5 years before flowering and even longer before it really forms an attractive shape. I have seen them full grown and they get better with age (hopefully a bit stronger too).

I have the same experience with my Goldenrain Tree. Every spring I think it died only to see leaves come back fully in June. I'm not su...Read Morere why that is? I live in Southern CA, so I'm not worried about this tree becoming invasive. It's too dry here for anything to spread other than chaparral unless you actively water it.

I love this tree... so beautiful... but I only enjoy 3 months of greenery. Wondering why it leaves out so late in the season... I live on...Read More Vancouver Island.... It's almost June and the tree is still half bare, and the leaflets not at their full size. I have had it for 4 years now - and it has been growing well enough. Not fast... moderately.

If you join the National Arbor Day Foundation, you get 10 free trees, including a couple of these. When I moved into my home 4 years ago,...Read More it was obvious the former owners had done this as the redbud, dogwood, flowering crabapple, Washington hawthorn, and golden rain tree were well established. I just love this tree. It is beautifully shaped. I enjoy the insects that visit the star-like flowers, and the gorgeous seedpods in the fall. They do reproduce easily but not like my silver maple which puts out a dozen or so seedlings in every pot on my deck. I have given seedlings to numerous people. Does anyone know any use for the beautiful black seeds?

I love this tree! It blooms when most others are dying off and the pink seed coverings are spectacular. However the seeds take root very ...Read Moreeasily and without weeding saplings, you'll have a small forest to deal with. But it's a beautiful tree and it's worth pulling up unwanted saplings

I have been growing my GRT here in
Covington, Indiana for about four years. It is a beautiful tree but has never bloomed and I d...Read Moreon't know what to do about it.

I got a 4' plant 2 years ago. It has showed almost no growth and there have been no blooms at all. What can I do? I am disappointed at th...Read Moree lack of flowers.

Any help is appreciated. I live in Charlotte, NC.

I've just discovered that a specimen of this plant that was allowed to grow wild next to the house I am renting in fact has grown right o...Read Moren top of the drain field for the septic system, thus destroying it. I had planned to get up on to the roof with a blower in order to get all the debris this tree leaves on it off anyway (won't do much to help with the thousands of bugs this tree has attracted, many of which make it inside the house to keep me company), but now am looking at a $700 bill to have the tree cut down and its stump ground down so a new septic field can be installed.

Koelreuteria paniculata has once pinnately to a few imperfectly bipinnately compound leaves, coarsely toothed to lobed leaflets, 5-petale...Read Mored flowers and conically shaped fruits.Koelreuteria bipinnata can be distinguished from Koelreuteria paniculata by the bipinnately compound leaves with entire or finely toothed leaflets, flowers with 4 petals and elliptically shaped fruits. The seedpod bracts change from pink to salmon. Koelreuteria elegans differs from K. bipinnata and K. paniculata by its being evergreen, having tighter inflorescences and having leaflets with very oblique bases.

I'm leaving a neutral rating. Although these trees are stunning when in bloom with the bright yellow flowers, and even put on a spectacul...Read Morear show with the pretty pink seedpods, in some areas of the south they are very invasive and hard to control. You have to constantly pull up little seedlings or they will spread throughout your yard, your neighbor's yard ... the next neighbor's yard. They are everywhere here in Central Florida.

We are renting a house here in Eugene Oregon, and there is a huge Golden Raintree in the front yard. It is beautiful, shows the blossoms...Read More, feathery leaves, and the lantern-like seed pods discussed by others. When the seed pods start falling off the tree, those that happen to get in the street make really loud popping sounds when cars run them over - this tree is really pretty cool on so many levels.
I have not experienced any invasive problems with this tree.
I will try to grow from the seeds, because I definitely want to take one with me when we move to our own home here.

Thanks for all the info in the forums, I had no idea what this tree was called until I searched and found this site.

This and the Camphor tree should not be planted in central Florida. It's is a very invasive and very frustrating when neighbors with bare...Read More yards let these grow, often shading out citrus and productive, more attractive trees. The seedlings quickly send out a deep tap root making them very hard to pull out.

it's a shame some nurseries in the Orlando area such as Lowe's sell this weed for about 13 dollars to folks who dont really know what they're buying. This is a very invasive tree, please nicely ask to speak to the garden manager and let them know. Within a 200' radius from where I live there's about 6 large camphor trees and now more Koeleuterias since some neighbors who have moved nearby are careless and have let the seedlings grow into trees.

The negatives outweight the positives with this one. It does look good for about a month and a half during the fall with yellow flowers and then pinkish-orange winged seeds that sprout everywhere they fall. Some specimens look handsome when young but older trees oftentimes don't have a nice form and many are simply ugly when bare.

Furthermore in the central and south florida soil the leaves sometimes turn yellowish (just as in the camphor) giving them a dirty green-yellow look. I guess if one lives in zone 7 or 8 where true tropicals dont thrive this is an ok tree to have, otherwise there are much prettier/nicer species (that are not invasive) for zones 9 and higher. Please dont plant this.on zones 9+

I planted a 5' tall tree last year and by the end of its second summer it has topped 12'. It is growing in orange clay in full Texas sun...Read More with supplemental water from lawn sprinklers. Its second summer in the ground it bloomed moderately. Nice healthy folliage and incredibly fast growth.

If this tree is considered invasive, then the live oak and red maple are the invasive royalties. There are a few golden rain trees aroun...Read Mored the neighborhood used as landscape trees and I have not found one seedling under a mother tree. Yet, I can find hundreds of acorn sprouts all over the yard. Dont worry about if the tree is considered invasive, the only thing that matters is if you like the tree!

Bumblebees love this tree when it is in full bloom. Difficult to find attractive specimen at my nursery. They seem to decline and look ...Read More"stubby" at the nursery. Last time I saw them, the owner had moved them to the reject section of his property, and he hasn't ordered any more. However, I found a gorgeous, mature specimen that has changed my mind about this tree and encouraged me to find one online. People like to knock the online sources, but I've had nothing but success from stores like Forest Farm and Nature Hills Nursery.

I planted 2 golden rain tree saplings 10 years ago. Thought I lost them to a late frost this year. Was so happy when they rebudded. Thes...Read Moree are beautiful trees.

This is a very attractive shade tree in foliage, flowers and seeds. It is evergreen in my area and the small leaflets allow plenty of li...Read Moreght through for the grass. It is a moderate grower and stable in high winds. However, it does attract jadera bugs, small red beatles which do not harm the tree or other plants. It is invasive in that many small trees will appear throughout your yard. In the grass, I just mow them down but in my flower beds, it takes a major weeding effort.

I've read all, the posts and after watching three trees bloom for the past 14 years, I have to say they are one of the most unusal trees ...Read Moreto own and show off! Simply awesome "lanterns" in the fall and the color is stunning.

I don't see why some folks complain about the "mess". It's a tree! Just like maple it sheds leaves and seeds. Seedling are gone with the mower! Don't complain about the tree, it's all part of the big picture. Just deal with it like all other trees and enjoy!

I had a hard time trying to grow them from seeds so I just grabbed a dozen seedlings today to take home. Good thing I happened to see them today before the landscaper arrives in a week or so.

HI THERE:

I LIVE IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA AND I JUST BROUGHT TWO, 2FT. GRT'S FOR $10.00 WITH S/H $8.50 ON LINE TODAY. I'L...Read MoreL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES WHEN I GET THEM. MAYBE I'LL KEEP THEM IN PLANTER'S UNTIL I SEE HOW THEY GROW WITH THE SEEDS AND ALL.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN BUYING TWO FOR $10.00 GOLDEN RAIN TREE'S CAN GET THEM AT THIS EMAIL ADDRESS: JHERTER@TWAVE.NET

I dont understand why anyone wouldn't like this tree. Even though it is listed as invasive, if you mow your lawn regularly, you really sh...Read Moreouldnt have a problem. My wife and I bought our home and it has a beautiful specimen on the front property border and we both love it. There are no other specimens in the area where people take care of their yards.
If you aren't much into pruning or general maintainance of your yard I can see why it might be a bit of work, but if you don't mind occasional sweat, I would recommend this just on its flowering.

I saw this tree growing in Toronto in Edwards Gardens about 12 years ago, was impressed, and so collected the seeds. They germinated ve...Read Morery easily, and so I planted it and have this tree growing in London, England. It has grown much too slowly, and is only now about 15 feet high, although it has been flowering for at least the last 7 years, and the fruits and seeds have easily ripened. This year I have even found self-seeded seedlings.

The foliage is feathery and attractive, but twice when we have had hot dry spells of two weeks (a fact of global warming even in England, where we had a drought this year in the South East), the tree dropped ALL its leaves. Also, the crown of the tree is quite sparse, which according to a book I have read, is normal while the tree is young. This has made the tree useless as a shade tree so far. By the way, my soil is a sandy somewhat shingly soil.

I found another specimen of this tree also growing in East London, which was planted as a street-tree, and it was thriving and looked just like the pictures of the ones in the southern U.S.A.

I Have this tree in my yard. I bought it about 7 years ago. I live in Citrus County Florida. I have not seen it ever bloom. I am so upse...Read Moret, that is why I bought it for it's lovely blooms. What can I do to encourage it to bloom?

Vicki In Inverness, Fl

I lived in Nashville, Tennessee before and at the Opryland Hotel they have MANY Golden Raintree trees planted. My mother had an absolute...Read More "fit" when she saw the seed pods on these trees. We had a hard time finding out exactly what these trees were. Finally, I gave in and actually called Opryland Hotel Property and the man over the grounds there told me the name of the trees. They apparently do extremely well in the climate of Nashville. My mother was what I consider an expert on any and all plants, trees, etc. and she was really impressed with the Golden Raintree, which she had never seen before. Opryland has them planted all around the perimeter of the hotel, up close to the windows of the downstairs rooms. They are absolutely gorgeous and those seed pods they produce are really different. I am looking for a reasonably priced one to plant in my yard here in East Texas. The climate is almost identical to that of Nashville, so I am hoping it will do as well as those at Opryland. They are absolutely gorgeous. All the best, Donna

My GRT has been slow growing in partial shade. After three years in the ground, it is only now starting to flower. As noted for the north...Read More the foliage is in marked contrast to the oaks and beeches that abound.

The GRT tolerates the partial shade but is not at its prime.

This is for Australian Gardeners. Don't grow it! I inherited one and spent the first three years in my new garden pulling out seedlings! ...Read MoreI finally had the thing cut down but they are a major menace! Col

This is a gorgeous tree when it has a good blooming year. The "Golder Rain Tree bug" or "Red Shouldered Bug" aka Jadera haematoloma can ...Read Morebe a nuisance. It IS NOT a box elder bug. They feed on the seeds so if one can keep the seed pods cleaned up the bug population may shrink. I imagine introducing mantids to the yard/garden would help also, but I've never tried.

Well it seems there are a couple differnt varieties listed ...I have NO idea what i've got but... I must say I love this tree. It does we...Read Morell in zone 5 has survived -25 degrees. It is a fast grower HERE and is beautiful year round. Yes the seeds sprout wherever they drop!!! but unlike maples and other trees just cut them off and they are dead so control is a breeze. As far as being invasive ...they are NO more so than any other small to medium size shade tree!! if trimed up you can grow shade grass under them if not you can't... They can also be planted in shady areas as a understudy tree and grow irregularly which can also be really neat looking and can be trimed to be kept smaller in those shady spots ... The seed pods are interesting but IMHO the leafs and blooms and branch structure is dynamic and beautiful. I give this tree an overall A+ especially nice in a northern area like ours cause it's sort of tropical looking unlike any other northern tree I've ever grown. David

I will admit these are beautiful trees, especially when in bloom, but they produce TONS of seeds which germinate at the drop of a hat. Pe...Read Moreople in the deep south should be weary of this one.

i have seen this tree growing from colorado to new jersey, G.R.T likes almost all soil types and pH's! i have 5 growing here in NJ, all ...Read Morefrom seed,( two took over 1 year to grow) and 3 WILL BE for bonsi, Hopefully that is !!! i have heard that you can grow G.R.T. from root cuttings, but Have found that hard ,as that the roots go deep! good luck with the golden rain tree, it's also called pride of china, or pride of india!
gig112974@aol.com

Overall, we love this tree, we get the lanterns in great profusion every year. And although this year we are having them trimmed, they h...Read Moreave needed very little maintenance.

The downside of the lanterns is that we get hundreds of large black seeds everywhere and come spring I have to pull up dozens of the seedlings that sprout in our beds and in our lawn, however that is a minor inconvenience considering how much these trees add to our landscaping.

This tree is beautiful! It has a very elegant shape and lovely leaves. The fall show is awesome--bright yellow flower spikes and then pin...Read Morekish pods--just beautiful. As for the comments about invasiveness--all plants reproduce (it's nature). I can't imagine it being any more invasive than my oaks or my neighbor's maples. As for it being messy--hello, it's a tree. All trees lose leaves or drop seeds--if you don't want to rake, then don't plant a tree!

I've had a good experience with this tree.Produces lots of seedlings,but you just mow them over or pull them up like any other tree(oak)....Read More

I've got grass growing under mine(its about 30 ft tall,20+ft wide) and is the best tree we have.Beautiful flowers,reccomend it to anyone.

I listed positive because my husband and I both love our neighbor's Golden Rain Tree (she told me a friend had started it from a seed). ...Read MoreToday, she gave me a seedling and several seeds and I am anxious to start my own. I can't imagine (for myself) it being any more troublesome than the Maple we had in Manassas that sprouted lots and lots of little seedlings every year - we just pulled them up or mowed over. Anyway -- I will give a yearly report on my progress.

From Stephens City, VA

I noticed the tree growing in Rocky River Ohio in the mid 80's and had to have one. The tree was 25' tall and amazing looking as it was f...Read Moreall and was all podded. It had a grove of smaller ones all around it, so I can understand it might be invasive. It does offer different interesting color all seasons except winter and looks sort of ornimental. For about 5 years I brought seed home and scattered it. Then about 5 years ago I noticed two small seedlings and transplanted both. Only one is surviving and is now about 6' tall and is planted in dry sandy soil on a ridge where it gets a lot of wind. 2004 is the first year for bloom and seed production. I like the tree.
I have seen them growing in Clyde Ohio , Bellevue Ohio and Columbus Ohio. Two thumbs up for this tree.
Bob Beck
Bellevue, Ohio

Slow grower in North Texas. Bought tree in fall of 2001 as a very small plant and is now only about 7 feet tall with a small canopy of le...Read Moreaves. Blossomed and carried pods only one time, very pretty.
I no longer have this tree. I removed it after a few years. I had little raintrees coming up everywhere.

There are several large Golden rain trees in the Rumsey Monument Park in Shepherdstown, WV. I hadn't really realized until the last coup...Read Morele of years how EXTREMELY INVASIVE they are. There are hundreds of them springing up in the woods next to the grassy area of the park. I've started yanking them out, but am finding it very difficult except for those which are very young.

This tree is an aggravation wrapped in frustration. First of all, the tree has such a dense leaf pattern that it kills all the grass und...Read Moreer it from sunlight starvation. Second, the seeds attract millions and millions of Jadera (golden rain tree bugs), which infest my yard and make it look terrible. Third, if you were the only one in your entire neighborhood with one of these trees, you'd hate it, too. The yellow leaves blow into everyone's yard in the fall, making me a very disliked fellow. Plus, it is a Class II invader.

This is a fast growing tree in Florida, and though it is quite colorful during autumn, it is a trashy tree. Seedlings invade my yard fro...Read Morem other trees in the neighborhood.
It is listed as a Category II pest in central and southern Florida by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.

I know some consider it invasive in my area, however, I have had my tree for ten years, and I still just have one tree. It does self sow...Read More, but none of the seedlings have taken off.

Many counties in south Florida (U.S.) encourage planting this tree to meet Department of Forestry tree requirements. And, in fact, this i...Read Mores an important street tree in many south Florida communities.

There are only two trees that are prohibited from planting in Florida--the ubiquitous Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian Pepper) and the equally ubiquitous Melaleuca quinquenervia (Punk Tree.) All other purported no-nos are opinions but are not matters of law, regulation, or scientific evidence.

It is invasive in warm climates. Listed in Florda Exotic Pest Plant Control list as an invader crowding out native plant communities.

Slow-growing shade tree. Panicles of yellow flowers from July through September. Seed pods remain on tree until winter. In colder clim...Read Moreates seed does not ripen enough to be viable, in warmer climates can be invasive.

Roots are fairly deep, so does not create havoc with gardens in its vicinity. Drought-tolerent once established. Thrives almost everywhere, but seldom offered.