Golden Rain Tree

1. Golden Rain Tree Koelreuteria elegans (Seem) Sapindaceae

2. Biology • Native to Taiwan • Medium sized, deciduous tree • 25 to 50 feet in height • 35 to 50 foot diameter spread

3. Background Economic Uses • Popular ornamental tree • Colorful petals and rose-colored fruit capsules

4. Distribution • Found throughout much of Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas • Commonly found along roadways and disturbed areas and forest edges • Generally as a direct escape from cultivation

5. Golden Rain Tree Distribution in Florida

6. Impacts • Category II invasive species (FLEPPC) • Not been shown to spread into undisturbed sites • Readily establishes, fast growth • Increased seed viability in warmer climates

7. Identification

8. Mature Plant • Generally 20 to 40 feet in height, • Bark is furrowed length-wise, with a corky appearance • Seedlings resemble native sumac

9. Leaves • Alternate arrangement on stem • Bipinnately compound • Multiple leaflets each containing several leaflets • Ovate to oblong in shape

10. Flowers and Fruit • Pale to bright yellow • 12 to 20 inches long • Densely pubescent • Fruit is pink, oval shape, 1-3 inches • Papery capsule • Small, black seeds

11. Management Preventative Cultural Mechanical Biological Chemical

12. Preventative • Limit planting as an ornamental • Remove existing plants, targeting larger more mature trees first to reduce seed • Avoid use of possibly contaminated mulch with seeds • Rouge out trees in abandoned areas

13. Cultural • Alternative landscape plants to replace golden rain tree • Programs to educate homeowners about the problems associated with this tree and proper identification • Maintain good ground cover and mixture of plant species to reduce establishment

14. Biological • There are no known biological control agents available for golden rain tree management in Florida or the southeastern U.S.

15. Mechanical • Hand pull young seedlings, including all roots, repeated pulling for resprouts • Cut tree down at ground level • Girdling is effective for large trees • Cut through bark approximately 6 inches above the ground, encircling tree base • Mowing is effective on small saplings and resprouts, but must be repeated

16. Chemical - Foliar • Over-the-top applications for seedlings, resprouts and small trees • Thoroughly wet leaves with herbicide • Triclopyr – 2% solution • Glyphosate – 2 to 3% solution • Use surfactant at 0.25% • Best results applied July to October

17. Chemical - Basal • Individual trees, near desirable species • Use 25% triclopyr solution with basal oil • Apply 12 to 15 inches above ground on tree trunk • Wet thoroughly for good control, spray until run-off is noticeable at ground line

18. Chemical – Cut Stump • Individual trees, near desirable species • Cut trunks/stems horizonally at or near ground level • Apply 25% solution of glyphosate or triclopyr • Cover the outer 20% of the stump • Marker (blue) dye is helpful

20. Useful Links • Floridata Homepage: http://www.floridata.com • University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants: http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/welcome.html • University of Florida’s Cooperative Extension Electronic Data Information Source: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/index.html

21. Useful Links • The Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group. Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/index.htm • Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER). Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems: http://www.hear.org/pier/threats.htm

22. Useful Links • Gilman, E.F. and D.G. Watson. 1993. Koelreuteria elegans: Flamegold. Fact Sheet ENH-496, a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_ST337