Katsura- The Caramel Tree

You don’t get caramels from it, but some think the wonderful Katsura tree smells like caramel or cotton candy when it loses it’s leaves in the fall.  Besides being wonderful to smell in the fall, the Katsura sports a lovely blend of orange, raspberry and apricot colored leaves.  The Katsura is no slouch in other seasons either.  In the spring Katsura has reddish-purple new growth, in summer heart-shaped blue-green leaves, and in winter the gray, slightly exfoliating bark lends winter interest.  This lovely shade tree is hardy throughout most of the United States and deserves to be planted more frequently.       

The Katsura is native to Japan and eastern Asia, and is widely used as a landscape tree in those areas.  The Latin name, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, refers to the leaves, which look like one of our native trees, the Redbud.  Katsura leaves are blue-green, lighter below, and heart shaped.  In the spring, the leaves emerge tinged with purple or red, and some trees hold a trace of color in their leaves throughout the summer. Katsura blooms in early spring, the flowers are not showy, and they are produced on separate male and female plants.  On the female Katsura, the flowers turn into clusters of small pods, which open and release winged seeds in the fall.  The pods and the seeds are not very noticeable and do not make a mess.

The shape of the Katsura tree is variable. Some are multi-stemmed with broad, flat crowns and others are single stemmed and more pyramidal in shape.  There are also a few weeping varieties of Katsura.   The trunks of young Katsura trees are thin barked, this becomes thicker, furrowed, and lightly peeling as the tree ages.  Katsura trees have a distinct root flare and some roots are developed right at the surface of the soil, and can get quite large with time. These roots lend an architectural appeal to the Katsura form.

Katsura trees can mature to 40 feet or more. There is another species, Cercidiphyllum magnificum, even less seen outside of Japan, which is smaller in height but has larger leaves.             

Growing Katsura trees    

Katsura trees are hardy from zone 4-8.  In the north they should be in full sun.  In the south they will grow in light shade also.   Katsura trees like moist, fertile, loamy soil.  Katsura does well where the water table is high.   They tolerate a wide range of soil PH.

The roots are shallow and the tree must be kept well watered, especially when getting established.  The biggest problem with the Katsura tree is they are a little tricky to establish.  Once they settle in a place to their liking however, they grow rapidly.

Smaller trees transplant the best, and they should be planted when dormant in the early spring.   Keep them well watered.  If the Katsura experiences drought conditions it will lose its leaves.  Usually the leaves will be replaced when water is again available, but if this happens frequently, you will probably lose the tree.    

The thin bark of young Katsura trees are prone to sunscald and splitting in the winter.  Protect young trees with tree wrap or shade on the south and west side during the winter. Tree tubes may help small Katsura’s establish easier.

Since the Katsura has roots close to the surface, deep mulch should be avoided.  You can plant under the tree if care is taken not to cut too many roots.  Before planting Katsura, remember that the tree may form surface roots and these might make mowing difficult.

After the first year an application of 10-10-10 or other tree fertilizer in early spring may help get the Katsura tree off to a good start.   Katsura trees have few insect pests or disease problems and rarely require pruning.

The caramel, cotton candy, or brown sugar smell, [depending on your nose], comes in the fall, when the Katsura tree is losing its leaves.  Most people find it quite pleasant.  It is strongest in warm, sunny weather and can perfume the whole yard.

Choosing varieties

Two weeping forms exist in Katsura.  ‘Pendulum’ is upright, with a strong trunk and weeping branches.  It is also sold as ‘Morioka Weeping’.   Another type has no central trunk- it is more like a weeping bush.  ‘Tidal Wave’ is one variety name of this type.

‘Heronswood Globe’ is a compact, rounded variety, seldom over 20’ high, that is good for small yards.  Several varieties of Katsura exist which address fall leaf color.  Most Katsura have variable fall color, with each tree having a somewhat different blend. ‘Strawberry’ Katsura has pink-red fall color and touches of pink in the spring leaf color. ‘Raspberry’ Katsura has wine-red fall color.

Using Katsura

Katsura makes an excellent shade or specimen tree.  Once established, Katsura is a no-muss, no-fuss tree with great structure for the landscape. It is also a good choice as a street tree, where it could possibly be a good replacement for ash trees dying from Emerald Ash Borer.