Cercidiphyllum japonicum - Katsuratree (Cercidiphyllaceae) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cercidiphyllum japonicum is a graceful, elegant, Flowers though variable species of shade trees. Katsuratree is -dioecious (male and female trees) characterized by blue-green foliage and, in the best of -not ornamental specimens, a yellow to scarlet color in autumn. -Mar.-Apr. -flowers on older wood FEATURES Fruits Form -pod, 0.5-0.75" long -medium-sized tree, up to 40- -not ornamental 60' tall x 35-60' wide, but Twigs generally not much taller than -reddish brown and slender 40' -swollen at the nodes -narrow when young, -buds are red and resemble a crab's pincer claws spreading with age Trunk -branches droop as the tree -showy grows -grayish brown -female trees spreading, -slightly shaggy males more upright -symmetrical form either oval or pyramidal USAGE -medium to fast rate of growth Function -long-lived -may be a street tree in suburban areas, not -often multi-stemmed, but can be easily trained into a particularly tolerant of dry soils in more urban sites single trunk form -small lawn tree or near large buildings Culture -shade tree -full sun to partial shade; probably performs best in Texture light shade -medium texture overall in foliage and when bare -tolerant of a broad range of soil conditions but does -moderate to high density best in moist soils Assets -does poorly in dry areas -graceful form -has a reputation for being difficult to transplant and -bluish foliage slow to establish -long-lived -mostly free of pest and diseases -relatively trouble-free once established -moderate to rare availability, B&B Liabilities Foliage -slow to establish and requires proper early -heart-shaped, 2-4" long (similar to, but smaller than, management Redbud, Cercis canadensis) -shallow rooted with some surface roots that interfere -opposite arrangement (sometimes subopposite), with lawn neatly spaced in Habitat pairs -Zones 5 to 8 -margins with -Native to Japan, China rounded teeth -purplish when SELECTIONS unfolding, then Alternates deep green -trees with bluish foliage such as some cultivars of (almost bluish) Fagus sylvatica above, silvery -accent trees such as Cercis canadensis, Fagus green below sylvatica, Ostrya virginiana -petioles and Cultivars – Variants- Related species veins sometimes -Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Pendula' - "…forms a reddish mound of gracefully weeping branches which look -autumn color like blue-green water cascading over rocks" [Dirr- yellow to scarlet, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, 4th edition] but variable -up to 25' -magnificent plant.