Golden Rain Tree care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) wants full sun and a drink about every 10 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Koelreuteria paniculata |
|---|---|
| family | Sapindaceae |
| category | tree |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 10 |
| mature height cm | 1000 |
| min zone | 5 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | false |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Golden Rain Tree?
Yellow July flowers, lantern pods; tough city tree.
Who eats it
Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is high. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 26 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 50 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.5. It tolerates soil up to pH 8.0. Its fertility requirement is low. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 110 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Its fire tolerance is low. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -28°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single stem form. Its growth rate is slow. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. Its tolerance of hedging is low. At maturity it reaches about 45.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 30 feet. Its roots go down at least 16 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in late spring. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is fine. In summer the canopy is moderate in porosity. In winter it is porous in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits high. The fruit persists on the plant: yes. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is high. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02