Katsura

On our walk the other tree of interest was the katsura. The specimen that we saw had succumbed to environmental conditions. Reading about its needs, it is easy to understand why. Planting the tree in a meadow with no obvious source of water and with the droughts that we have experienced the past few years it is clear why the tree did not survive. Sad since many of the trees in the meadow have been dedicated to staff at Humber. It would be nice to see a live specimen and maybe someone will think to plant a katsura by one of the ponds. (We saw a heron feeding at the pond.)

Katsura is grown as an ornamental tree for its delicate heart shaped leaves and bright autumn colour, a mix of bright yellow, pink and orange-red. Where conditions are suitable, it is fast-growing, but it is very sensitive to drought and needs deep, permanently moist soil. Under drought conditions, the species will abscise its leaves, however refoliation may occur once water is made available. Of particular interest is the scent produced by the leaves in the autumn, resembling burnt brown sugar or cotton candy. Trees in cultivation, like those in natural environments, tend to sucker from the base when young and become multi-stemmed at maturity; pruning to maintain a single stem is not advised.
Within Cercidiphyllum japonicum, several cultivars with pendulous branches are grown for their unique weeping habit. Two general types exist. Those with a strong central leader, or excurrent growth, are all one clone originating in Morioka City, Japan. This cultivar is known as 'Morioka Weeping' and can reach over 25 m in height. The other type fails to form a central leader and is rounded in habit. There are several clones of this, including 'Amazing Grace' and 'Tidal Wave'.