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Forestry
Champion Trees
Champion Goldenrain Tree
(Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.)
Say hello to this Arkansas Champion Goldenrain Tree, discovered and
nominated by retired University of Arkansas Monroe County Cooperative Extension
Service Agent Reggie Talley. In early summer, the Goldenrain Tree, with
its panicles of airy yellow flowers is a refreshing sight. An unusual
accent tree, this attractive undemanding rugged specimen can be seen in
the front yard of the home of Mrs. Dorolis Betts, located at 94 Oak
Street, Clarendon, Arkansas.
"...And another one bites the dust!"
This uncommon, well shaped tree is the epitome of sylvan symmetry. Growing
in full sunlight, with no competition to speak of, this Clarendon, Arkansas
Goldenrain Tree is now on the Arkansas Champion Tree list. The former
champion Goldenrain Tree with a (BI) Bigness Index of 73 was located at a
business called "The Farmer's Daughter" in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Dethroned
by the larger Clarendon tree with a (BI) of 96, the former champion tree
still remains in the files, in the event something should happen to the new
record holder.
The Goldenrain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.), a native of China and
Korea, is a deciduous tree that is also known as the Varnish Tree. A member of
the Family Sapindaceae, this hardy specimen is very conspicuous by reason of the
large odd, bi-pinnately compound, alternately arranged leaves which are divided
into numerous leaflets, and its large terminal clusters of beautiful, yellow
flowers. The popular common name, Goldenrain Tree, is derived from the plant's
habit of dropping its spent tiny golden flowers on the ground around the base of
the tree. In Arkansas, these yellow flowers appear around June and develop into
inflated, triangular seed pods (containing hard, brown seed or seeds) that
remind me of tiny Japanese lanterns. In China the flowers are used medicinally
and the seeds are used to manufacture necklaces.
In China, these trees grow from 40 to 60 feet in height, however, in the
United States they will more commonly be found to reach only 30 to 40 feet in
height. There are two other species known; K. bipinata from western China, and
K. apiculata from central China, which is said to be hardier but is not well
known. The genus name Koelreuteria, is in honor of Joseph G. Koelreuter, a
professor of Natural History at Karlsruhe, Germany in the sixteenth century. The
species name paniculata, is in reference to the botanical term panicle (an
indeterminate, branching inflorescence, with the flowering branches usually
being racemes or corymbs).
By: Reggie Talley
Retired Monroe County Extension Agent
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