What are the cons of the katsura tree?
Katsura is sensitive to dry, hot conditions. Low branching and multi-stemmed habit requires regular pruning to develop and maintain and 8′-10′ high canopy suitable for street tree use. Plant katsura tree in good soil and a sheltered site with space for it to grow out as well as up. Ideally plant when dormant, preferably in autumn, keep watered for its first year and mulch annually.Katsura trees are adaptable to a wide pH range from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. The wood of the katsura tree is weak and prone to breaking. If possible, plant it in a location sheltered from strong winds and at ample distance from a walkway or driveway, as broken limbs from the tree pose a hazard.The Katsura tree is an upright, spreading form that becomes more round with age. It is disease resistant. Mature growth is around 40-55′ tall x 20-30′ wide.The Katsura tree is an excellent shade tree, thanks to its broad canopy and dense foliage. It can provide much-needed relief from the sun in hot climates, making it a popular choice for planting near homes, patios, and playgrounds. The shade it provides can also help reduce energy costs by cooling the surrounding area.
How big will a Katsura tree get?
Katsura is a small, deciduous tree that is typically 40 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide at maturity. This tree is pyramidal in form which often develops into a soft, round form with age and best suits USDA Zones 4 to 8. Katsura Tree prefers fertile, well drained soils in full sun to part shade. The soils must be consistently moist as these trees have little drought tolerance, particularly when newly installed. The foliage can be fragile to scorching or strong winds.The Katsura tree thrives in moist, well-drained soils, and both overwatering and underwatering can lead to similar wilting appearances. Overwatering usually causes root rot, as the roots become waterlogged and suffocate, while underwatering deprives the plant of essential moisture.Plant in full sun to partial shade, in a somewhat sheltered location. It needs rich, moist, well-drained soils. The Katsura tree will need supplemental watering during droughts. For better autumn colour plant in more acidic soils, however this tree is fairly pH adaptable.Katsura trees are hardy in zones 4 through 8. It should be transplanted as a container-grown tree in early spring into sunny areas with a rich, well drained but moist soil. This species has poor drought tolerance so keep a watch on the water needs of the plants during drought periods.
What do Katsura trees smell like?
The heart-shaped leaves smell exactly like cotton candy. Or maybe marshmallow fluff. Or caramel, or brown sugar, or vanilla pudding! Whatever this tree smells like to you, it’s seldom that a visitor to the NYBG fails to fall in love with the katsura’s rare talent. At this time of year, trees begin “exhaling” a variety of gaseous compounds from their leaves before dropping them. Katsura trees release a special compound called maltol, which gives the air a cotton candy-like aroma!The Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) known to many as the Candyfloss or Burnt Sugar tree is a beautiful spreading tree that fills the air with is delightful fragrance in autumn as its leaves begin to take on fiery autumn shades. It is the leaves themselves that produce this mouth-watering fragrance.For some people the scent of maltol is quite pronounced, while others don’t have the scent receptors to pick it up. Although maltol is present even in new Katsura leaves, you can’t smell it in the spring. But when autumn nears and the leaves begin to turn yellow, they produce more maltol.
What is the lifespan of a Katsura tree?
Tree : It is an extremely attractive tree that can, in the wild, grow to 200ft with a trunk to 16ft diameter and circumference (girth) of 80ft making it one of the largest hardwood trees in Asia. It can live to 1000 years and is rarely bothered by pests or disease. Katsura trees are adaptable to a wide pH range from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. The wood of the katsura tree is weak and prone to breaking. If possible, plant it in a location sheltered from strong winds and at ample distance from a walkway or driveway, as broken limbs from the tree pose a hazard.Although listed as growing at a moderate rate, Katsura Tree is capable of rapid growth spurts in optimal conditions. Some trees have been reported to grow more than 4 feet per year when given ample moisture and adequate nutrition.One of the worlds longest living hardwoods; the Katsura tree can last up to 2000 years in age and is rarely bothered by either insect pests or disease. It makes an attractive street tree in the cooler parts of its range where reflected heat and drought wont scorch it’s leaves or stunt it’s growth.