By Beatrice Hawkins
One of the beautiful sights around town at this time of year are the many lovely China/Varnish/Pride of India trees in many gardens. They are just some of the common names by which Koelreuteria paniculata is known. It is the delightful tree that suddenly seems to burst into bright salmon pink paper lanterns almost overnight at this time.
It is a fairly ordinary tree for most of the year, but in autumn will have clusters of showy, perfumed, yellow flowers that attract the bees but only last a short time before being followed by the spectacular paper lanterns.
It is a quick-growing, deciduous tree that may reach up to about 10 to 15 metres. The pink ‘paper lanterns’ contain many hard, nut like, pinky-coloured seeds that germinate readily – sometimes too readily – and, if not in an area that receives attention, come up everywhere to the point of almost being an environmental problem and a problem to neighbouring gardens.
It is frost-hardy, likes full sun, requires little water once established, and tolerates poor soil, pollution, wind and salt! The roots are not invasive to plumbing like so many other lovely deciduous trees and they seem to be attacked by very few pests. As bees love the yellow flowers it is a great tree to have in the area for these handy pollinators. Altogether an ideal tree for our climate and further west if you have room and a need for a very decorative, medium-sized tree.
They are classed as a weak timber and do need pruning to maintain a good shape. It is native to Asia, particularly China, and can live from 50 to 150 years. Their discovery is credited to a Jesuit priest, Pierre d’Incarville, who sent the first seeds from China to Russia in 1747. A few years later it was grown in Europe and in America by 1811. It is now grown in many countries worldwide, especially here and in New Zealand.
Many parts of the tree were used in natural Chinese medicine and the flowers produce a yellow dye while the leaves produce black colouring. The seeds are edible when roasted – but are not commonly consumed – and dried make decorative jewellery. The dried paper lanterns also add interest to flower arrangements. The lanterns gradually lose their colour through winter and finally disappear before the spring flush of pretty pink-coloured leaves, when the cycle begins all over again.
Earlier in April a great article on the 110th anniversary of the Warwick Horticultural Society was published in the Free Times and one of the many photos was of planting in my vegetable garden, so I thought a progress report was required. The snow peas are going well up the trellis and the broccoli and savoy cabbage are really bouncing away despite the fact that I have been away. I did set up an automatic watering system before I left and am pleased to report that it apparently works well as, despite our lack of rain, the young plants have thrived. Maybe I need to do this more often!
Previously this bed had a failed crop of watermelons and a bean trellis. Well now I have a large number of self-sown watermelon and purple king climbing bean plants. Unfortunately frosts are just around the corner and neither will survive but I haven’t the heart to pull them out just yet though – they look so healthy!
Much earlier I told of planting prickly cucumbers and you will be pleased to know they also thrived and I have quite a number. They are definitely an eye-catching decoration in a fruit bowl when handled with care – vicious things! As yet I haven’t eaten one – that treat still awaits.
Don’t forget the free night out with Brian Sams on Wednesday night the 30th May at 7pm in the CWA rooms, to be followed by supper. It will be informative, entertaining and something I am sure everyone will enjoy.
Also plan on getting you tickets for the June 16th trip to Esk. As usual they are available from Danny Lyons in Palmerin Street. It will be another great day out with people interested in gardening.
*This is an old article that has been digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
