CERCIDIPHYLLUM
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CERCIDIPHYLLYM
(Plant heights are given at maturity)


cercidiphyllum japonicum katsura tree seeds plant cercidiphyllum japonicum katsura brown sugar tree fall color leaves    Katsura Tree, Brown Sugar Tree
Native to China and Japan, a fast growing deciduous hardy tree,  member of the family Cercidiphyllaceae.   Katsuras are graceful trees, usually have mulitple trunks and dense pyramidal branching and can reach a height of 90-100ft, though they commonly reach a height of about 60ft.  Like its relative Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud), the leaves are heart shaped. Immature leaves are purple in color and light green or blue green when mature.  The fall color is a brilliant apricot and dried leaves have a spicy aroma, rather like brown sugar or ripe apples.  The tree is dioecious, having either  male or female blooms. Red buds form along stems opposite one another. Unlike the redbud, the blooms are rather nondescript and are pink in color.  Blooms are followed by small winged seed pods. 

Cercidiphyllums thrive in well drained loamy soil in a sunny location, although they do tolerate some clay soils.  They make lovely specimen or shade trees and they do very well at the edge of a woodland or other trees.  The trees require virtually no pruning and are resistant to insects and diseases.

Propagation is performed by softwood cuttings, by layering softwood branches or by sowing seed.  Seed should be sown as soon as they are ripe.  Stored seed should be sown in a prepared bed outdoors in the fall and allowed to natrually stratify or they can be artificially stratified  for 90 days before sowing See COLD STRATIFICATION for more information.  Sow seed in pots or trays and keep moist, but not soggy at about 70F until the seedlings reach about 2 inches in height.  Transplant to larger containers or outdoors if the temperatures do not fall below 50F. 

Katsura wood is used to manufacture furniture and moldings. 

Hardy to -20F (-28.8C)       Height: 60ft.     Spread: 30ft.

#1753    Packet  $30.50   Approximately 100 seeds
#Bz-1753    Bulk seed 1oz  Approximately 24000 seeds   $55.50

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