# Taiwanese Rain Tree (*koelreuteria elegans*)

The Taiwanese Rain Tree has beautiful yellow flowers that bloom in the summer! Its large, spreading branches provide shade for all kinds of creatures.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** It grows in tropical and subtropical regions, often found in parks and gardens.
- **Also known as:** Chinese Flame Tree, Taiwan Flame Tree

![Taiwanese Rain Tree](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ke_raintree3.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Peter Greenwell ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ke_raintree3.jpg)

## Appearance

The Taiwanese Rain Tree has vibrant yellow flowers clustered in large panicles, followed by distinctive papery, balloon-like seed pods that mature from green to striking pink, orange, or reddish hues. Its deeply lobed, fern-like leaves provide a lush green canopy.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Sapindales
- **Family:** Sapindaceae
- **Genus:** Koelreuteria

## Interesting facts

- It's called 'Rain Tree' because sweet honeydew often drips from its leaves!
- Its amazing seed pods look exactly like mini Chinese lanterns!
- Its wood is super light, but it's rarely used for building anything big!
- This tree can grow incredibly fast, shooting up several feet in a single year!

## Special abilities

- **Windy Seed Spreader:** Taiwanese Rain Tree has lightweight, papery seed pods that help its seeds travel far on the wind to find new places to grow.
- **Drought Defender:** Its deep root system allows the Taiwanese Rain Tree to access water from deeper soil, helping it survive dry periods.
- **Pollinator Beacon:** The tree's bright yellow flowers are packed with nectar, attracting many different insects to help with pollination.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1000-1500 cm
- **Spread:** 800-1200 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Parasitizes:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Feeds on the tree's sap, producing honeydew.
- **Eats:** [House Finch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-finch) (*Haemorhous mexicanus*) — Consumes small seeds from inside the tree's pods.

## Traits

- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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.
- [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 Taiwanese Rain 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 Taiwanese Rain Tree?

1000-1500 cm

### How wide does Taiwanese Rain Tree spread?

800-1200 cm

### How big are the flowers on Taiwanese Rain Tree?

1-2 cm

### When does Taiwanese Rain Tree bloom?

Summer to fall

### Is Taiwanese Rain Tree edible?

No

### Is Taiwanese Rain Tree toxic?

None

### What is Taiwanese Rain Tree's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Heathcote Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/heathcote-botanical-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden
- [Coker Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coker-arboretum-north-carolina) — North Carolina, US · Zoo
- [El Dorado Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/el-dorado-park) — Florida, US · Park

[View all places to see Taiwanese Rain Tree](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/taiwanese-rain-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: [Taiwanese Rain Tree: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/taiwanese-rain-tree)