Description
Cladrastis – Yellowwood –
There are about 5 species of deciduous trees, in this genus. They occur in woodland and on lime stone cliffs in China, Japan and Eastern USA. They are grown for their early summer borne terminal, erect or pendent panicles of fragrant pea like white or pinkish flowers and colorful autumn foliage. Flowers are followed by flattened pods, each containing a a row of small, hard seeds. The light to mid green leaves are alternate and pinnate to 12″ long with fine hairs on the undersids of the 4″ long leaflets. They make fine specimen trees.
Grow in fertile, well drained soil in full sun, shelter from strong winds, since the wood is brittle.
C. platycarpa – Japanese Yellowwood – This rounded headed tree from Japan and China grows 30-40′ feet tall and 30′ feet wide. It produces light green leaves, to 12″ long, composed of 8-13 ovate-oblong, short stalked leaflets, turning yellow to orange in autumn. In summer it bears erect panicles, to 10″ long, of white flowers, ½” long, each with a yellow spot at the base.
Zones 4-9
