Styphnolobium Species, Chinese Scholar Tree, Japanese Pagoda Tree, Umbrella Tree

These have been planted along streets in Charlottesville. Most of the year, they're an unremarkable medium/large tree with with a rounded...Read More dome top. What makes them stand out is the profusion of white flowers that emerge in mid-to-late July. Few trees its size compare in terms of flower power, especially at that time of year. Because of that, I've planted a few as a source of nectar for honey bees during the late summer dearth. Apparently they will need to reach about 15-20 feet tall (maybe 10 years old) before they're mature and start blooming, so I won't know about the quality of honey for a while. I'm hopeful because it's in the Pea family, which is generally good in that regard. But the only comment I've been able to find about the flavor is that it's "distinct." In any case, these are the toughest of all the bee trees I've planted. Deer and Japanese beetles completely ignore them, even though we have extreme pressure from both here. They're drought tolerant, and I've only watered the new plantings a few times during the driest part of the summer as a precaution. But I have noticed the one I planted in a wet, low-lying area has grown the most. So they do seem to like having more water.

This is NOT a yard tree. Needs large open grass area. Beautiful large tree in bloom. Starts blooming as early as July in CO. Flowers are ...Read Morenice light yellow pea types, but sprinkle down by the thousands. Mat 3 to 6 inches deep into any plants, roof drainage, etc below. Will cause rot to base of other plants and clogs car vents. Have to use snow shovel or blower to collect flowers off drive at least once a week for couple months. Then the long green seed pods develop and drop. Another mess to cleanup. It also reseeds. Then the leaves fall and leave their stiff midrib in piles that have to be picked up by hand if in vegetation. All together I spend 5 to 6 months cleaning up after this tree. I put this in about 20 years ago and am having it removed next month.

A good big shade tree.

This is often sold as a flowering ornamental. It blooms in August. I don't find the greenish-white ...Read Moreflowers to be especially showy, though they're produced profusely. From a distance, they blend into the foliage. They do produce quite a mess when they drop.

Love the acid yellow color, but it requires protection from the wind for the flowers to last. Also a benefit are the seed pods that dangl...Read Moree for months and are unusally shaped.