# Japanese Pagoda Tree (*styphnolobium japonicum*)

The Japanese Pagoda Tree is known for its beautiful, fragrant flowers that bloom in the summer. Its broad leaves provide great shade for people and animals alike!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** It thrives in parks, gardens, and along streets in temperate regions.
- **Also known as:** Chinese Scholar Tree, Pagoda Tree, Sophora Tree

![Japanese Pagoda Tree](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sophora_japonica_JPG2Aa.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sophora_japonica_JPG2Aa.jpg)

## Appearance

The Japanese Pagoda Tree has a broad, rounded canopy of dark green, compound leaves. It produces abundant creamy-white, pea-like flowers in large drooping clusters during late summer. Its most distinctive feature is the unique necklace-like seed pods, which are constricted between each seed and persist through winter.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fabales
- **Family:** Fabaceae
- **Genus:** Styphnolobium

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Chinese scholars often planted this tree as a symbol of wisdom!
- Despite its name, this tree is actually native to China and Korea!
- Its unique "necklace" pods can stay on the branches through winter!
- The flowers and pods of this tree were once used to make yellow dye!

## Special abilities

- **Drought Defender:** Japanese Pagoda Tree can survive dry spells because its deep roots help it find water, staying strong even when it's hot.
- **City Survivor:** Japanese Pagoda Tree has tough leaves and a strong root system that help it thrive in city environments, shrugging off pollution.
- **Late Bloomer:** Japanese Pagoda Tree can surprise you with late summer blooms, providing nectar for insects when other flowers have faded.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1000-2500 cm
- **Spread:** 1000-2000 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar from its plentiful summer blooms.
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — visits flowers for nectar, aiding pollination.
- **Shelter:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — builds nests in its sturdy branches and dense canopy.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Japanese Pagoda Tree?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Japanese Pagoda Tree?

1000-2500 cm

### How wide does Japanese Pagoda Tree spread?

1000-2000 cm

### How big are the flowers on Japanese Pagoda Tree?

1-2 cm

### When does Japanese Pagoda Tree bloom?

Summer

### Is Japanese Pagoda Tree edible?

No

### Is Japanese Pagoda Tree toxic?

Moderate

### What is Japanese Pagoda Tree's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden
- [Curtis Hall Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/curtis-hall-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden
- [Lucy Larcom Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lucy-larcom-park) — Massachusetts, US · Park
- [Dornburger Schlossgärten](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dornburg-castle-gardens) — Thüringen, DE · Park
- [Jardin des plantes de Caen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jardin-des-plantes-de-caen) — Normandie, FR · Park

[View all places to see Japanese Pagoda Tree](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/japanese-pagoda-tree)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Japanese Pagoda Tree: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/japanese-pagoda-tree)