WashingtonGardener: Katsura Tree Plant Profile

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Katsura Tree Plant Profile

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)is a deciduous tree that has rounded, heart-shaped leaves that resemble that of the Redbud tree.

Katsura is native to Japan and China. The bark is gray and slightly shaggy in texture. The foliage is reddish in spring then green—blue in summer and then golden orange in fall.

It is hardy to USDA zones 4-8. It is not drought tolerant, so water it regularly during dry periods.

Katsura can grow 1-2 feet per year -- reaching 40-60 feet in height and 20-30 feet wide at maturity. (There is a weeping form which grows 15 to 25 feet high and 20 to 25 feet wide.)

Katsura has a shallow root system so it does not do well in compacted soils. Add mulch around the tree to maintain a cool root environment.

Katsura Trees prefer to grows in full to part sun.

They don’t have showy flowers, but its beauty comes from the bark and foliage. In the fall, the dropped leaves release a sweet fragrance similar to caramel or cotton candy.

Little or no pruning is needed. It is relatively pest- and disease-free.

Katsura can be propagated by seed or stem cutting. It does best planted in the spring and does not transplant well.

Reportedly, when Katsura is grown in more acidic soils, the fall color will be more intense.

Katsura Tree: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Video and Editing by Ellen Isaacson

Additional Photos from Wikipedia Commons

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