Golden Rain Tree

Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) earns its place three times a year: sprays of yellow flowers in summer, papery lantern seed pods into autumn, then warm yellow foliage before the leaves drop. It grows to about 8m tall and 6m wide, which is genuine shade without overwhelming a suburban block. Few flowering shade trees put up with heat, frost, wind and poor soil this cheerfully.

Why you'll love it

• Yellow flowers in the quiet weeks. Large open sprays of small golden flowers appear in summer, after the spring flowering trees have finished.
• Lantern pods follow the flowers. Papery three sided seed pods follow, ageing from lime green to bronze like strings of paper lanterns.
• Shade sized for suburbs. At about 8m by 6m it casts a proper pool of shade, and the roots are non-invasive, so paving, lawn and driveways can sit close by.
• Tougher than it looks. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and untroubled by heat, wind or poor soil.
• Autumn colour to finish. The fine divided foliage turns yellow before dropping, strongest where autumn nights are cool.

Where it works best

Shade tree. One tree over a lawn or the western side of an outdoor area gives shade exactly when the flowers are at their best.

Driveways and avenues. A repeated row reads beautifully in flower. Allow for the 6m canopy when you set them out so mature trees just touch rather than crowd.

Small gardens. The canopy lifts with age and the roots behave, so you can garden right up to the trunk even on a compact block.

Growing Golden Rain Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the best flowering. It performs across subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates, and takes frost in its stride once established. The steamy wet tropics are the one region it does not suit.

Soil. Remarkably unfussy. Sand, loam or clay all work provided water drains away, and it tolerates poor, dry soils that defeat showier trees.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then it looks after itself in most districts. A complete slow release fertiliser each spring is plenty.

Pruning. Shape in winter while young to a single clear trunk and remove crossing branches. Little else is needed.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Golden Rain Tree in 400mm pots and as advanced 45L, 100L and 200L stock. The 400mm and 45L trees are young, established specimens that settle in fast and suit most gardens. The 100L and 200L sizes carry real trunk and canopy for shade from the first summer.

It is deciduous, so a tree delivered in winter arrives bare and leafs out in spring, which is normal and actually the easiest time to plant. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse our full range of trees
• The best canopy trees for creating shade
• Top trees for lining an Australian driveway
• Evergreen versus deciduous trees explained

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Expect a steady, moderate pace: roughly half a metre a year in good conditions, slower on poor dry sites. It reaches a usable shade height within five to seven years and its full 8m over a couple of decades.

Will the roots damage paving or pipes?

No, the root system is rated non-invasive. It is a sensible choice beside driveways, paths and lawns, with about 2m of clearance from structures as good practice.

Does it drop much?

It is deciduous, so leaves come down in autumn, and spent flowers and pods add a light litter in summer and autumn. Over paving it is an easy sweep rather than a problem, but avoid siting it directly over a pool.

Will it self seed in my garden?

In warm districts seedlings can pop up near the tree. Removing spent pods before they open keeps it in check, and in cooler climates self seeding is rarely seen.