Wikimedia Commons
Cercidiphyllaceae
Katsura Tree Flower
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Nostalgia and fleeting beauty.
- Family
- Cercidiphyllaceae
- Genus
- Cercidiphyllum
- Native to
- Japan, China
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- tree
- Height
- 40-60 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
- Water
- moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 4-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Fallen Katsura leaves in autumn smell distinctly of caramel, cotton candy, or burnt sugar, delighting passersby.
- Its tiny reddish flowers appear before the leaves in early spring and have no petals, relying on wind for pollination.
- The Katsura is one of the oldest surviving tree genera, with fossils dating back over 65 million years.
- In Japan, the wood is prized for making Go boards, shogi boards, and fine cabinetry due to its even grain.
- Heart-shaped leaves inspired its use as a romantic garden tree in both Japanese and Western landscape traditions.
Color meanings
0
nostalgia
1
sweetness
2
change