Koelreuteria elegans aka Chinese Flame Tree

Koelreuteria elegans belongs to the Sapindaceae family. Its names include flamegold and Chinese rain tree. Its native range includes Taiwan and Fiji. It grows in a tropical climate with a dry season. This tree grows fast and forms a broad, uneven crown. UF/IFAS gives heights of 35–45 feet (10.7–13.7 metres). The wider height range is 25–50 feet (7.6–15.2 metres). Its crown spans 35–50 feet (10.7–15.2 metres). Old trees can form a flat top.

The green leaves are alternate: they grow at staggered points. They are bipinnately compound, with each leaf split twice into leaflets. These small leaflets have toothed or cut edges. UF/IFAS says the tree keeps its leaves year-round. Yet its leaf table calls it deciduous, meaning it sheds leaves. The table lists yellow fall colour with little show. Young bark is smooth and light brown. As the trunk ages, it forms ridges and furrows. Thick brown twigs and drooping branches give it a coarse form.

Small yellow flowers with a scent open in early summer. They form dense panicles, or branched groups, at branch tips. Shed petals can coat the ground beneath the crown. Large groups of pink, papery capsules form next. These appear in late summer or fall. The husks are about 2 inches (0.05 metres) long. They rise above the leaves and keep their colour when dry. People use them in dried flower displays. UF/IFAS says the fruit does not draw wildlife.

Grow flamegold in full sun and give it moderate water. Part shade leads to a thin crown and stretched growth. It grows in sand, loam, or heavy clay that drains well. Both acid and alkaline soils suit it. Once trees take root, they withstand drought, heat, and air pollution. They can also cope with some salt spray. UF/IFAS puts the species in USDA zones 9B–11. Plant it for shade, by patios, or as a specimen. It also suits streets and parking lots. In central and southern Florida, keep it from spreading into natural areas.

Train young trees to form a strong set of branches. Space main limbs along one trunk. Remove rival leaders, the stems that compete for the top. Weak wood can break in strong winds. Remove dead branches from time to time, too. Scale insects, root rot, and canker can cause harm. Wet soil and old age raise the risk of root rot. Verticillium wilt can kill branches or the whole tree. These risks still matter despite the source's broad pest-resistance rating.