Help needed to identify French tree

[shelagh]

I know that someone out there will have the answer to this query.  We took our grandchildren to the local park in Siran SW France and this was just about the only thing growing there.  We have never seen it before and it doesn't seem to feature in the book on Mediterranean plants we have. Can you help?

[fleurbleue]

I think it is a Koelreuteria paniculata Shelagh ; it has light yellow flowers in Spring 

[Paddy Tobin]

And in flower here at the moment.

Paddy

[shelagh]

Thanks Nicole judging by Hillier's book you are absolutely right, however I would never have found it from that because they don't show it in fruit.

Paddy, Hillier's also says it needs hot summers and is tolerant of drought which fits Siran like a glove but Waterford .

[ArnoldT]

We use it as a street tree here on the East Coast of the US.  Small 20 to 25 feet tall and tolerates confined root run.  Grows well under power lines as well.

Know as the "Kentucky Rain Tree".

[Paddy Tobin]

Shelagh,

It is doing fine here, never a bother with winter frosts or wet and has been flowering for several years.

Arnold, I think I have read of it being called "Golden Rain Tree" also.

Paddy

[ArnoldT]

The flowers are in bunches like grapes.  They do create a little street litter as the "small lanterns" fall to the ground.  I would expect it is hardy as can be.  It thrives here at 5-6F in winter and 90F+ in summers

[johngennard]

I couldn't identify the golden rain tree from the pictures and had my doubts but I now realise that it is the seed pods that are hanging rather than the flowers.The flowers are erect panicles and with help of a long lens I took a series of photos this morning.This tree was planted as a sapling about 40yrs.ago and is now about 40ft.high by 30ft accross.

[ArnoldT]

Paddy:

Right the Golden Rain Tree from Kentucky.

Mixed my metaphors.