Koelreutaria paniculata ‘Coral Sun’ – Coral Sun Golden Rain Tree

Botanical Name: Koelreutaria paniculata ‘Coral Sun’

Alternate Name: Coral Sun Goldenrain Tree, Coral Sun Goldenraintree

The Coral Sun Golden Rain tree is a stunning cultivar of Koelreuteria paniculata, with its bright coral pink twigs and foliage that emerges in the spring. This tree also provides a visual display in summer with its hanging panicles of golden flowers and in fall with its sculptural seed pods and yellow-orange autumnal foliage. Koelreuteria paniculata ‘Coral Sun’ is a smaller tree than the species, reaching only 20-30 feet tall and wide. It is a deciduous tree with a dense, irregularly shaped, rounded crown and an open growth habit that will grow as wide as it does tall.

The leaves of the Coral Sun Golden Rain tree fade from coral pink to yellow and bright green as the growing season continues, but the coral pink twigs persist on the tree providing a beautiful contrast with the changing foliage color. The final show is in the fall with bright orange and yellow shades that last on the tree for a long display.

The leaves are pinnately or bipinnately compound, with elliptical and irregularly shaped leaflets with coarsely toothed margins. Each leaf features 7-17 leaflets.

The flowers of the Coral Sun Golden Rain tree are prolific and cover the canopy in yellow blooms. The individual flowers are half an inch in size and make up showy panicles 12-15 inches long. The blooms then fall like ‘golden rain’ and carpet the ground. Decorative rose-colored seed pods follow the blooms in fall.

The Coral Sun Golden Rain tree is drought tolerant and flourishes in full sun. It is adaptable to different soil types and works well planted in urban environments, thriving in dry and polluted conditions.